$200,000+ in Fines for Improperly Labeled Imports

The Department of Commerce announced March 26 that it has issued a combined total of $222,902 in civil penalties to two seafood importers found to have improperly labeled imported tuna as “dolphin safe.”

According to a DOC press release, two multi-year investigations found that Mexican purse seiners harvested yellowfin tuna in eastern tropical Pacific waters, packaged the tuna into cans and pouches, and improperly labeled it as “dolphin safe.” 

In addition to paying the civil penalties, one importer agreed to create a new label without a “dolphin safe” logo for all future tuna shipments destined for the U.S., while the other one stopped sourcing tuna products from the supplier responsible for adding the improper logo and has enacted a more robust internal review process.

The DOC notes that U.S. seafood importers are responsible for ensuring their product is compliant with U.S. law and that they source from seafood suppliers accordingly. The Office of Law Enforcement in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration leads investigations and monitors seafood imports to ensure seafood is caught, imported, and distributed legally. It also routinely works with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Fish and Wildlife Service to identify and prevent illegal and improperly labeled seafood from entering into commerce.