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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The shrimp industry plays a vital role in the |
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nation's economy and in the prosperity of Gulf Coast communities, |
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where domestic shrimp are harvested and processed; and |
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WHEREAS, In Texas, the industry supports more than 14,000 |
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jobs, generating approximately $850 million in economic value; |
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however, a glut of foreign shrimp imports threatens this industry |
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with collapse; and |
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WHEREAS, Imports of frozen warmwater shrimp nearly doubled |
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between 2013 and 2021 to an unprecedented 1.8 billion pounds; data |
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from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicates |
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that Texas shrimpers harvested 6.8 million pounds of shrimp in the |
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first five months of 2023, compared to 800 million pounds of |
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imported shrimp in the first half of the year; and |
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WHEREAS, Much of the foreign shrimp is farm-raised and |
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subsidized in order to let producers sharply undercut the price of |
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domestic shrimp; the problem has been well documented since 2005, |
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when the International Trade Commission determined that imports |
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from certain countries were selling at less than fair value, and |
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this continues to occur, despite antidumping regulations; and |
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WHEREAS, While the influx of imported shrimp has driven |
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prices to record lows, Gulf Coast fishermen must contend with the |
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forces of inflation, including historically high fuel prices; it |
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typically costs a trawler tens of thousands of dollars to go out to |
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sea, so many remained tied up at the docks; a severe labor shortage |
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has exacerbated the crisis; and |
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WHEREAS, Imported shrimp pose a significant risk to public |
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health; a 2015 investigation by Consumer Reports found dangerous |
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bacteria, antibiotics, and drug residues in more than half of the |
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shrimp they tested from Ecuador and India; however, the Food and |
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Drug Administration inspects less than one percent of imported |
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seafood for banned substances; in addition, many seafood products |
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that fail inspections at U.S. ports of entry are simply rerouted by |
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suppliers to other ports where they might not be inspected; and |
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WHEREAS, The sustainability of the domestic shrimp industry |
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is crucial to the survival of many small, family-owned businesses |
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and to the stability of Gulf Coast communities, but this important |
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economic engine is currently imperiled by unfair foreign |
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competition and other rising challenges; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby urge the federal government to curb the mass importation of |
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foreign shrimp into the United States to protect the Gulf Coast |
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shrimping industry from unfair competition and to protect consumers |
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from substandard shrimp that does not meet U.S. health standards; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas Secretary of State forward official |
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copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, to |
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the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and to the |
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Assistant Administrator for Fisheries National Oceanic and |
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Atmospheric Administration. |