Wild USA Seafood: Murkowski Bill Would Label American-Caught Seafood, Support American Fishermen
Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, along with Senator Dan Sullivan (both R-Alaska) introduced the Wild USA Seafood Act of 2023, which would establish a “Wild USA Seafood” label for wild-harvested seafood caught in U.S. waters. The bill would allow the U.S. seafood industry to promote wild-harvested seafood, including fish, crustaceans, and aquatic plants harvested in U.S. waters.
“Alaska’s seafood is the best in the world—and I’m proud to lead on this effort that would ensure consumers know their food is being harvested by hardworking American fishermen,” said Senator Lisa Murkowski. “Consumers want to know where their food comes from—and by creating a specific label allowing wild seafood, like Alaskan salmon caught in Bristol Bay, wild kelp harvested in Southeast, or pollock caught in the Bering Sea, the option to be labeled as ‘Wild USA Seafood,’ we’re ensuring consumers know they are purchasing the highest-quality seafood from the best-managed fisheries in the world.”
“I join Alaskans in being incredibly proud of our sustainable fisheries and the seafood produced in the waters of the United States,” said Senator Dan Sullivan. “Americans love Alaska seafood and other wild seafood products that come from America’s waters. They know that there is no better source for the best tasting, and most nutritious seafood. But it can be hard to know where such food comes from. American deserve to have this information, and a labelling standard for ‘Wild USA Seafood’ will help them choose the best seafood products in the world.”
“Our research tells us that ‘product of USA’ and ‘wild-caught’ are two of the top five US consumer motivations for choosing seafood over other proteins. Wild-caught Alaska and other USA seafood is the gold standard for sustainable management, and American fishermen, processors, retailers, and consumers will benefit when the US origin of our seafood products is on the label regardless of where processing occurs,” said Greg Smith, Communications Director at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI).
