Supply Chain Roundtable
US Gulf of Mexico Shrimp
Read the Large Shrimp Sector Sustainability Update 2021.
The US Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Supply Chain Roundtable (SR) focuses on monitoring sustainability status and issues in US shrimp fisheries and drives further improvements. The SR is composed of the leading US shrimp processors and distributors.
The SR undertakes improvement actions at a Gulf-wide scale (e.g., improving information on bycatch), while individual FIPs undertake improvement actions at the state or local level (e.g., boat-level gear inspections to ensure that turtle excluder devices are installed properly).
The SR focuses on shrimp fisheries in the US Gulf of Mexico, primarily those targeting white, brown, and pink shrimp. The US shrimp harvest is a relatively small portion of the worldwide production of large shrimp. However, this fishery is a leader in sustainability improvements and demonstrates best practices for wild shrimp fisheries around the world.
The US Gulf of Mexico shrimp industry has made vast improvements over the last 15 years, including stock monitoring, bycatch reduction, area closures, and sea turtle nesting enhancement projects.
See a list of all SR members.
5 Active US Gulf of Mexico Shrimp FIPs
10 Roundtable Participating Companies
96 % US Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Production Improving
Roundtable Participants
Join This Roundtable
To join the Supply Chain Roundtable or for more information, please contact Megan Westmeyer or call SFP at 1-808-726-2582.
Q4 2022 Update:
- In October, the American Shrimp Processors Association (ASPA) signed a contract with Global Trust to start assessments against the MSC and CSC RFM standards. The MSC Announcement Comment Draft Report is expected to take 4-5 months to compile, thus it should be available in February or March. This may allow public announcement of the full MSC assessment during Seafood Expo North America.
- A stakeholder meeting is being planned for early 2023, to bring together key players from the processing and harvesting sectors to discuss the certification process and benefits.
- To view the full history of this SR’s activities click here.
Sector Background
Currently, about 7 percent of global large shrimp production is considered sustainable or improving. The large shrimp sector includes farmed shrimp, wild warmwater shrimp, and larger coldwater shrimp such as Argentine red shrimp and spot prawns. Species are typically larger than 100 shrimp per pound in body size. About two-thirds of global large shrimp production is farmed.
Although wild-caught shrimp are not the main source of global supply in the large-shrimp sector, the US Gulf of Mexico shrimp fisheries (contributing only around 1 percent of global production in the sector) are an important source near the United States, one of the major markets for large shrimp.
Activity & Workplan
For 2022, SFP has advised the Supply Chain Roundtable participants that it is time to consider completing the Gulf of Mexico Shrimp FIPs and possibly entering MSC or RFM certification, if required by the market. There is substantial interest from SR participants to pursue one or both certifications, thus entrance to a certification program will be the focus for 2022.
Join This Roundtable
To join the Supply Chain Roundtable or for more information, please contact Megan Westmeyer or call SFP at 1-808-726-2582.