Frozen shrimp. (Photo: StockFile)
UNITED STATESThursday, February 12, 2015, 22:30 (GMT + 9)
In 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported refusing 203 entry lines of imported shrimp for reasons related to veterinary drug residues. The number of refusals was not only substantially higher than what FDA had refused in the prior three years, refusals increased in frequency as the year wore on.
In fact, in the second half of 2014 more than twice the number of shrimp import entry lines (139) were refused for reasons related to veterinary drug residues than in the first half of 2014 (64), reports the Southern Shrimp Alliance.
The FDA has now released refusal data for January 2015 demonstrating that this trend has accelerated even further. For the month of January, the FDA reported refusing 185 entry lines of fishery/seafood imports. Of these, 58 – or nearly one-third – are comprised of entry lines of shrimp refused for reasons related to veterinary drug residues.
These data indicate that the FDA refused more entry lines of shrimp for banned antibiotics in January 2015 than for the entire year of 2012. Moreover, the Southern Shrimp Alliance's review of monthly refusal data going back to 2011 shows that the highest number of shrimp entry line refusals related to veterinary drug residues in a month had been 42 in January 2011.
Consistent with the Southern Shrimp Alliance's recent letter to the FDA, shrimp shipped from Malaysia continue to drive the record numbers. Of the 58 antibiotic-related shrimp entry line refusals last month, 42 were of shrimp shipped from Malaysia. This one month total is more than the number of entry lines of shrimp shipped from Malaysia refused for similar reasons in all of 2012 and 2013 combined.
Malaysia's past history as a conduit for transshipped Chinese merchandise suggests that at least some of the shrimp currently being refused by the FDA would have otherwise been kept away from U.S. consumers based on the agency’s Import Alert on farmed Chinese shrimp, says the SSA.
However, the FDA's actions in January were not limited to shipments of shrimp from Malaysia. In addition, the agency reported refusing another 16 entry lines of shrimp shipped from either Vietnam (15) or India (1) for reasons related to veterinary drug residues. The three shippers involved are each a significant supplier to this market and each carry certifications under the Best Aquaculture Practices programme (BAP):
In fact, in the second half of 2014 more than twice the number of shrimp import entry lines (139) were refused for reasons related to veterinary drug residues than in the first half of 2014 (64), reports the Southern Shrimp Alliance.
The FDA has now released refusal data for January 2015 demonstrating that this trend has accelerated even further. For the month of January, the FDA reported refusing 185 entry lines of fishery/seafood imports. Of these, 58 – or nearly one-third – are comprised of entry lines of shrimp refused for reasons related to veterinary drug residues.
These data indicate that the FDA refused more entry lines of shrimp for banned antibiotics in January 2015 than for the entire year of 2012. Moreover, the Southern Shrimp Alliance's review of monthly refusal data going back to 2011 shows that the highest number of shrimp entry line refusals related to veterinary drug residues in a month had been 42 in January 2011.
Consistent with the Southern Shrimp Alliance's recent letter to the FDA, shrimp shipped from Malaysia continue to drive the record numbers. Of the 58 antibiotic-related shrimp entry line refusals last month, 42 were of shrimp shipped from Malaysia. This one month total is more than the number of entry lines of shrimp shipped from Malaysia refused for similar reasons in all of 2012 and 2013 combined.
Malaysia's past history as a conduit for transshipped Chinese merchandise suggests that at least some of the shrimp currently being refused by the FDA would have otherwise been kept away from U.S. consumers based on the agency’s Import Alert on farmed Chinese shrimp, says the SSA.
However, the FDA's actions in January were not limited to shipments of shrimp from Malaysia. In addition, the agency reported refusing another 16 entry lines of shrimp shipped from either Vietnam (15) or India (1) for reasons related to veterinary drug residues. The three shippers involved are each a significant supplier to this market and each carry certifications under the Best Aquaculture Practices programme (BAP):
- Ngoc Tri Seafood Joint Stock Company (7 entry lines refused for veterinary drug residues), certified as a 2-star production group for shrimp and as a certified shrimp processor under BAP;
- Quoc Viet Seaproducts Processing (8 entry lines refused for veterinary drug residues), certified as a 2-star production group for shrimp and as a certified shrimp processor under BAP; and
- Devi Fisheries Ltd. (1 entry line refused for nitrofurans), certified as both a 3-star and 2-star production group for shrimp and as a certified shrimp processor under BAP.
According to the Southern Shrimp Alliance,the FDA's efforts over the last several months represent a crackdown on shrimp imports contaminated with banned antibiotics, but its findings, particularly over the last seven months, are a depressing demonstration of the continued tolerance by U.S. importers and seafood distributors for the use of banned antibiotics in shrimp aquaculture.
"Nevertheless, until the seafood industry decides to turn away from cheap, contaminated shrimp imports, the FDA will continue to play a vital role in discouraging the use of antibiotics in overseas aquaculture," the Alliance states.
"Nevertheless, until the seafood industry decides to turn away from cheap, contaminated shrimp imports, the FDA will continue to play a vital role in discouraging the use of antibiotics in overseas aquaculture," the Alliance states.