Copyright © 2008
Southern Shrimp Alliance
THE SOUTHERN SHRIMP ALLIANCE The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) is a non-profit alliance of members of the shrimp industry in eight states committed to preventing the continued deterioration of America's domestic shrimp industry and to ensuring the industry's future viability. SSA serves as the national voice for the shrimp fishermen and processors in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. The association is many faceted. We are developing marketing plans for domestic shrimp, lobbying for more stringent controls and testing of banned chemicals, supporting anti-dumping findings against six countries, and working with NMFS on any and all new regulations concerning the domestic shrimp industry.
SSA Executive Director John Williams said, “Shrimping in the United States has always been more than just a business, it has been a way of life. Shrimping has defined entire communities throughout the Gulf Coast and Eastern Seaboard. Today, our tradition, our way of life is threatened. Shrimpers, their families, related businesses, and many communities dependent on shrimping are experiencing serious economic harm. We are nationally united for the first time to stop the injury from unfair trade and to enhance the domestic shrimp industry.” Between 2000 and 2002, aggregate shrimp imports increased 17%, while import prices plunged 29%. Indeed, imports from large exporting countries exploded, e.g., imports from Vietnam increased 169%, imports from India increased 74%, imports from China increased 73% and imports from Brazil increased 210%. A study by Texas A&M University shows that wholesale shrimp prices in Texas were 47% below the 1973-2002 average inflation-adjusted price, making the value of the 2001 harvest the lowest in 37 years. In 2002 and 2003, U.S. wholesale shrimp prices continued to plummet. Wilma Anderson, Executive Director of the Texas Shrimp Association and SSA Board Member, adds, “You have to understand we are talking about thousands of jobs, life-time investments, lenders that have millions of dollars in loan portfolios, shore side facilities, and entire fishing communities that are being harmed. If the U.S. shrimp industry is forced into a bankrupt state -- that is a tremendous economic impact that would be felt throughout the eight states from North Carolina to Texas." Cuong Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American board member of the Alliance, echoes Ms. Anderson’s concerns. “Many of my people came to this country to find freedom and economic opportunity. Our ships are being repossessed and our family businesses destroyed because six countries are allowed to dump shrimp into the U.S. market. Dumping violates the principles of free trade. We do not want to stop free trade, we simply want free trade that is fair. In a fair market, our hard work will enable us to succeed.”
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