Shrimp Industry Thanks Elected Officials for Support for Continued Duties on Dumped Shrimp Imports

Online, February 1, 2011 (Newswire.com) - The U.S. International Trade Commission held a hearing on February 1, 2011 to determine whether the U.S. shrimp industry would be harmed by the revocation of antidumping duties on shrimp imports from Brazil, China, India, Thailand and Vietnam. In addition to testimony supporting the continuation of duties on dumped shrimp imports from the domestic industry, the Commission heard testimony from Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Roger Wicker (R-MS).

The U.S. shrimp industry is the most valuable fishery in the United States and supports hundreds of coastal communities in eight states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. Governors Barbour (R-MS) and Jindal (R-LA), Senators Shelby (R-AL), Sessions (R-AL), and Vitter (R-LA), and Representatives Bonner (R-AL), Walter Jones (R-NC), Landry (R-LA) and Palazzo (R-MS), and Boustany (R-LA) sent letters detailing the substantial damage that would be caused to thousands of shrimp businesses across the eight states if dumped shrimp is allowed to enter the U.S. market unabated. The Southern Shrimp Alliance welcomes the strong showing of support for the tens of thousands of family businesses that depend on fair trade.

"The Southern Shrimp Alliance is extremely thankful for the testimony of Senators Mary Landrieu, Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker in support of the antidumping orders," stated John Williams, executive director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. "The overwhelming support from Senators, House Representatives, Governors, and other elected officials of the shrimp industry is a testament to the economic importance of the industry to the Gulf and South Atlantic region."

The Southern Shrimp Alliance also thanks the representatives of the U.S. shrimp industry that took time away from their businesses to present testimony about how unfair trade impacts competitive, multi-generational, family-owned businesses. In particular, Jonathan Appelbaum of Penguin Frozen Foods, Regina Garcia Peña of Philly Seafood Company, and shrimpers James Blanchard of Louisiana, Steve Bosarge of Mississippi, and Nicole Dubberly of Georgia testified to the importance of maintaining the antidumping duty duties in support of the Ad Hoc Shrimp Trade Action Committee.

The hearing is part of the first five-year "Sunset Review" of the antidumping duties on shrimp imports. The Department of Commerce has previously determined that shrimp exporters from all five countries are likely to resume dumping should trade relief be removed.

The Southern Shrimp Alliance is comprised of the U.S. warmwater wild shrimp fishery from eight states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. SSA represents the U.S. shrimp industry in a wide range of issues including trade, fisheries management, and industry enhancement efforts. The Ad Hoc Shrimp Trade Action Committee is an ad hoc committee of members of the shrimp industry that successfully petitioned the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission to impose antidumping duties on unfairly traded imports.

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Editor's Note: Copies of the written testimony on behalf of the Ad Hoc Shrimp Trade Action Committee as well as letters submitted in support of the U.S. shrimp industry are available on SSA's website under Latest News.