Seafood labeling act signed into law: A glimpse of hope for local fishermen

BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. (WKRG) — Governor Kay Ivey signed HB 66, a Seafood Labeling bill, into law Friday afternoon.

The bill will go into effect on Oct. 1 and will require the labeling of “imported” versus “domestic” for seafood at restaurants and grocery stores, as well as the designating of “wild-caught” versus “farm-raised” on all seafood sold.

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Millard Robertson has been a shrimper for 55 years and has worked at SeaHarvest Fresh Shrimp in Bayou La Batre for the past five years.

“It’s in my blood; I love it,” Robertson said.

However, for the past few years, the shrimping industry has taken a major hit.

“Even though we don’t make no money, I still love catching them,” Robertson said. “We do need to make money in order to survive.”

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The current cost of shrimp is almost $1 a pound. Robertson said it’s not enough to keep up with the rising gas prices.

Mobile Baykeeper said 94% of shrimp in the U.S. market is imported from foreign waters.

“This has put our shrimpers almost out of business,” Mobile Baykeeper Caine O’Rear said.

With the high influx of foreign shrimp, restaurants and stores have found it cheaper to buy imported seafood.

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“These restaurants are serving them and not telling people what they are eating,” Robertson said. “They won’t tell you unless you ask them and then they don’t know where they come from.”

Robertson said as long as the bill is enforced, he believes it will help the shrimping industry get back on its feet.

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