WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) voted to impose duties on frozen warmwater shrimp imports from Ecuador, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam, after investigations discovered the four countries have been illegally subsidizing and dumping shrimp into U.S. markets. The decision is a critical step in supporting American workers and ensuring a fair market for high-quality, domestically sourced seafood.

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., issued the following statement:

“This is a significant victory for Mississippi’s shrimp industry. For generations, many Mississippians have relied on shrimping to support their families and communities,” Senator Wicker said. “I applaud the ITC for making this decision. It will help keep our shrimpers on a level playing field with foreign competitors.”

Background:

Between 2020 and 2022, there was a nine percent increase in shrimp consumption in the United States. However, the domestic industry’s share of total consumption declined from 7.4 percent in 2020 to 5.9 percent in 2022. This decline underscores the competitive pressures U.S. producers face, such as unfairly priced imports. As a result of the ITC’s vote, duties ranging from 2.24 to 221.82 percent will be imposed on the imports of shrimp from the named countries.

Senator Wicker has long advocated for stronger protections for American shrimpers. He recently sent a letter to the ITC urging them to take decisive action in favor of the domestic shrimp industry.