US Customs and Border Protection Expands Forced Labor Enforcement to Seafood Supply Chains

In an expansion of its trade enforcement efforts, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has intensified its application of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) within the global seafood sector. According to a report by the Associated Press on November 14, 2024, the agency has targeted processed seafood shipments originating from key processing hubs in China. Specifically, shipments of processed squid, cod, and salmon from facilities located in China’s Shandong and Liaoning provinces are facing heightened scrutiny and increased detention rates at US ports of entry.

Under the strict guidelines of the UFLPA, goods produced wholly or in part in regions associated with forced labor are prohibited from entering the United States unless importers can prove otherwise. As reported by JOC.com, CBP’s decision to target seafood imports under forced labor rules represents a shift in enforcement focus, which had previously centered primarily on industrial materials and textiles. Importers must now establish comprehensive traceability for their products, tracing the entire supply chain from the initial harvest at sea to the final processing facility on land to ensure compliance.

This enforcement push has introduced substantial operational hurdles for the industry. Reports from Undercurrent News indicate that the seafood industry is currently struggling with CBP’s strict UFLPA documentation requirements. To successfully clear customs, importers are required to submit highly detailed supply chain documentation. This includes providing precise vessel logs, harvest records, and labor documentation from processing facilities to verify that no forced labor was utilized at any stage of production. Gathering this data from overseas partners has proven to be a complex task for many US-based businesses, particularly when dealing with multi-tiered supply chains.

The business impact of these measures is reverberating throughout the seafood supply chain. Because processing facilities in Shandong and Liaoning provinces handle a significant portion of the global seafood supply, the increased detention rates are causing delays and supply shortages for US distributors. Customs brokers warn that without robust tracing mechanisms and transparent communication with Chinese processors, shipments will continue to face prolonged hold times at the border. Companies are now forced to re-evaluate their sourcing strategies, implement stricter supplier codes of conduct, and invest in supply chain auditing to ensure compliance with the rigorous US standards.