HCR76 - Urging the federal government to curb the mass importation of foreign shrimp into the United States.

      H.C.R. No. 76       HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION          WHEREAS, The shrimp industry plays a vital role in the   nation's economy and in the prosperity of Gulf Coast communities,   where domestic shrimp are harvested and processed; and          WHEREAS, In Texas, the industry supports more than 14,000   jobs, generating approximately $850 million in economic value;   however, a glut of foreign shrimp imports threatens this industry   with collapse; and          WHEREAS, Imports of frozen warmwater shrimp nearly doubled   between 2013 and 2021 to an unprecedented 1.8 billion pounds; data   from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicates   that Texas shrimpers harvested 6.8 million pounds of shrimp in the   first five months of 2023, compared to 800 million pounds of   imported shrimp in the first half of the year; and          WHEREAS, Much of the foreign shrimp is farm-raised and   subsidized in order to let producers sharply undercut the price of   domestic shrimp; the problem has been well documented since 2005,   when the International Trade Commission determined that imports   from certain countries were selling at less than fair value, and   this continues to occur, despite antidumping regulations; and          WHEREAS, While the influx of imported shrimp has driven   prices to record lows, Gulf Coast fishermen must contend with the   forces of inflation, including historically high fuel prices; it   typically costs a trawler tens of thousands of dollars to go out to   sea, so many remained tied up at the docks; a severe labor shortage   has exacerbated the crisis; and          WHEREAS, Imported shrimp pose a significant risk to public   health; a 2015 investigation by Consumer Reports found dangerous   bacteria, antibiotics, and drug residues in more than half of the   shrimp they tested from Ecuador and India; however, the Food and   Drug Administration inspects less than one percent of imported   seafood for banned substances; in addition, many seafood products   that fail inspections at U.S. ports of entry are simply rerouted by   suppliers to other ports where they might not be inspected; and          WHEREAS, The sustainability of the domestic shrimp industry   is crucial to the survival of many small, family-owned businesses   and to the stability of Gulf Coast communities, but this important   economic engine is currently imperiled by unfair foreign   competition and other rising challenges; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas   hereby urge the federal government to curb the mass importation of   foreign shrimp into the United States to protect the Gulf Coast   shrimping industry from unfair competition and to protect consumers   from substandard shrimp that does not meet U.S. health standards;   and, be it further          RESOLVED, That the Texas Secretary of State forward official   copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, to   the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and to the   Assistant Administrator for Fisheries National Oceanic and   Atmospheric Administration.     Louderback   Leo Wilson   Lopez of Cameron       ______________________________ ______________________________      President of the Senate Speaker of the House                   I certify that H.C.R. No. 76 was adopted by the House on May   19, 2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 133, Nays 8, 3 present, not   voting.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House                 I certify that H.C.R. No. 76 was adopted by the Senate on May   28, 2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.     ______________________________   Secretary of the Senate      APPROVED: __________________                   Date                       __________________                 Governor