In April 2013, the Southern Shrimp Alliance sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), expressing three concerns: (1) Are there any known human health implications for the consumption of shrimp contaminated with the microbe that causes early mortality syndrome (EMS)?; (2) What is known about the potential of EMS to spread to wild shrimp resources from aquaculture?; and (3) What is known about the potential for the microbe causing EMS to spread to U.S. shrimp farms?
The letter asked “what steps have been undertaken to protect US shrimp farms?” and “what steps has the US government taken to protect wild shrimp resources and the marine environment?” The letter noted that “Ecuador and Mexico have both implemented bold measures to prevent any infected shrimp from entering their countries” and requested that the federal agencies “take the appropriate actions to protect our citizens and businesses as well.”
Responses from each agency were sent to the Southern Shrimp Alliance in June 2013.
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