SSA commends Rep. Ezell’s and Dr. Kingma’s testimony on the Crisis Facing American Seafood Producers
On Wednesday, a House Natural Resources Committee hearing focused on the alarming threat unfairly traded foreign seafood imports pose to America’s commercial fishermen, communities, and the country’s ability to produce seafood.
The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing titled “America First: U.S. Leadership & National Security in International Conservation,” included powerful testimony from Dr. Eric Kingma, the Executive Director of the Hawaii Longline Association, and strong advocacy from Rep. Mike Ezell (R-MS) on behalf of U.S. shrimpers. Watch it here.
Rep. Ezell Sounds Alarm for U.S. Shrimpers
During the hearing, Rep. Mike Ezell (R-MS) delivered a powerful statement on behalf of U.S. shrimpers, explaining that family-owned fishing boats and small processors are being squeezed out by unfair pricing, “not by better products or practices.” He directly addressed the root causes of the crisis: “That price gap is not an accident. It’s driven by dumping, government support, and serious allegations of labor abuse abroad.” He stressed that American shrimpers are “not asking for special treatment. We’re asking for a level playing field.”
Blake Price, deputy director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance, welcomed the comments: “Rep. Ezell understands that allowing double standards to destroy American fisheries and undermine our ability to access sustainable local seafood must end. We appreciate his advocacy for fair trade on behalf of U.S. shrimpers.”
Dr. Eric Kingma Expands Crisis to All U.S. Fisheries
Dr. Kingma’s written and oral testimony detailed how American fishermen operate under stringent environmental regulations while competing with foreign fleets that benefit from government subsidies, lower labor costs, and minimal oversight. He noted that the result is a $20 billion annual seafood trade deficit, with an estimated 15% of wild-caught seafood imports stemming from Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
In response to Rep. Ezell, Dr. Kingma stated, “I think you can replace Gulf shrimp with every single major fishery in those remarks. We are losing, and we’re losing rapidly.”
The policy recommendations he advocated mirror those of the Southern Shrimp Alliance:
- Restrict imports from subsidized and IUU fisheries
- Ensure that foreign fisheries meet U.S. environmental and labor standards
- Expand supply chain tracking for all imported seafood
- Require country-of-origin labeling in restaurants
“We look forward to working closely with Dr. Kingma and the Hawaii Longline Association to advance our shared agenda, working towards long-term relief for our U.S. commercial seafood industries, ” said Price. “Whether it’s shrimp, tuna, or any other seafood species, the solution is the same: use America’s market power to demand that seafood imports meet our standards for labor, environmental protection, bycatch mitigation, and honest competition. That’s how we protect both American workers and maintain ocean conservation.”
Additional resources:
Dr. Kingma’s written testimony – https://shrimpalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/HHRG-119-II15-Wstate-KingmaE-20260121.pdf