A year after scrapping plans to expand and revise the Seafood Import Monitoring Program, the Department of Commerce has announced its intention to try again.
The SIMP is a risk-based traceability program meant to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and seafood fraud. It sets forth permitting, reporting, and recordkeeping procedures relating to the entry into U.S. commerce of certain fish and fish products identified as being at particular risk for these activities. SIMP requirements have been in effect for 13 species and species groups since Dec. 31, 2018.
As part of a new action plan to enhance the SIMP, the DOC plans to issue a proposed rule that includes the following elements.
- expanding SIMP traceability requirements to all U.S. seafood imports by creating a two-tier system that prioritizes species based on their risk level
- enabling pre-entry screening of SIMP imports
- developing a pilot program for a voluntary government-to-government import data program
- collecting additional data to address forced labor risks in seafood supply chains
- updating permitting and reporting procedures and modernizing the National Permit System
The DOC states that once a final rule is issued it will roll out internal improvements “as resources allow.”
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