The Trump administration has introduced a voluntary labeling program to help consumers identify American-caught seafood, alongside a new federal website promoting domestic fisheries and efforts to address improperly labeled imported products.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Trump administration launched a new initiative Friday, Oct. 23, aimed at strengthening America’s commercial fishing industry and giving consumers a clearer way to identify domestically caught seafood, introducing a voluntary labeling program through the Food and Drug Administration.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the program during President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Fort Myers, Florida, describing it as part of the administration’s broader America First Seafood Strategy.
According to The Hill, the FDA began offering the voluntary U.S.-origin label Friday, allowing qualifying seafood producers to identify their products as domestically caught.
The administration said the program is intended to improve transparency in seafood marketing, support American fishermen and help consumers distinguish domestically harvested products from foreign imports.
“From Alaska to Maine, American fishermen and seafood producers deserve a fair marketplace, and American families want to know where their food comes from and get what they pay for,” Kennedy said in an HHS announcement.
“For more than four decades, I have fought to protect the waters and fisheries that sustain America’s fishing communities. Under President [Donald] Trump, FDA is giving U.S. producers a clear way to identify American seafood and is also cracking down on short-weighted imports that cheat consumers.”
The labeling initiative is voluntary rather than a new blanket requirement for seafood sold in the United States. Producers choosing to use the designation must ensure that their products satisfy the applicable criteria and that their origin claims are accurate.
Federal officials said the program will complement existing seafood labeling requirements while providing an additional way for American fishing operations to distinguish their products in a competitive marketplace.
The announcement comes as domestic seafood producers face competition from imported fish and shellfish, including products processed overseas or sold at lower prices.
The administration argues that clearer labeling can help American fishermen compete by allowing buyers to identify seafood harvested in U.S. waters.
The strategy also addresses concerns about seafood sold at inaccurate weights, a practice that can cause consumers and businesses to pay for quantities they do not receive.
For example, some seafood products may contain excess water or ice that increases the apparent weight without providing the stated amount of fish or shellfish.
Federal regulators are seeking to strengthen oversight of such practices, particularly involving imported products, to ensure that sellers comply with applicable labeling and net-weight requirements.
The FDA already regulates seafood safety and labeling under federal food laws, while the Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies oversee additional programs involving seafood marketing, inspections and trade.
The voluntary initiative is intended to operate alongside those existing responsibilities rather than replace them.
The administration also introduced Seafood.gov, a federal website designed to promote American seafood and provide information about domestic fisheries.
The website is intended to serve as a central resource for consumers, businesses and seafood producers interested in purchasing or promoting U.S. products.
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