Gulf Shrimpers Bring Another Enforcement Fight to EnforcementNOW

The Port Arthur Area Shrimpers' Association (PAASA) has joined EnforcementNOW, bringing the experience of Gulf Coast fishing families into the coalition. Its members confront unfairly priced imports and uneven enforcement of standards that American producers must meet.

PAASA and the Southern Shrimp Alliance (opens in a new tab) jointly challenged Peru's certification under U.S. sea-turtle protection rules in 2024. The State Department suspended Peru's certification in 2025, restricting qualifying wild-caught shrimp imports. This was a concrete result of persistent industry advocacy, not an announcement of future action.

As our American Shrimpers case study illustrates, effective trade enforcement goes beyond tariffs. Standards must be enforced consistently or compliant U.S. producers bear costs their competitors can avoid.