Urging the federal government to curb the mass importation of foreign shrimp into the United States.
The bill outlines that the Texas shrimp industry supports over 14,000 jobs and generates around $850 million in economic value. However, domestic shrimpers are struggling to compete against cheaper, subsidized foreign shrimp, which not only threatens their livelihoods but also impacts local economies reliant on this industry. Moreover, the resolution points out that high operational costs and labor shortages have exacerbated the challenges faced by local fishermen, compelling many to remain idle due to lack of profitability.
HCR76 urges the federal government to take action against the mass importation of foreign shrimp into the United States. The resolution emphasizes the critical role that the shrimp industry plays in the economy, particularly within Gulf Coast communities, and highlights the economic challenges faced by domestic shrimpers due to a significant increase in foreign imports. With the amount of frozen warmwater shrimp imports nearly doubling from 2013 to 2021, the resolution expresses concern over the sustainability of the domestic shrimp industry and its socio-economic repercussions.
HCR76 thus serves as a call to action for the federal authorities to curb these imports to protect the domestic shrimp industry from unfair competition while safeguarding consumers from potentially unsafe seafood products. Through its passage, it reflects growing concerns over international trade practices that have profound implications for local economies and public health.
An important point raised in HCR76 is the public health risk associated with imported shrimp. The resolution cites a 2015 investigation highlighting the presence of dangerous bacteria and drug residues in a substantial portion of shrimp tested from certain countries. The authors of the resolution urge that the federal inspection processes are insufficient, as less than one percent of imported seafood is adequately checked for harmful substances, thus endangering consumer safety.