State Representative Chip Brown announced Monday that he has pre-filed a bill that would require country-of-origin labeling on seafood sold in Alabama.

Is the fish caught off the coast of Alabama, raised in a pond in the United States, caught off the coast of Madagascar, or raised in a pond in China? What consumers don't know There are too many.

Brown's bill aims to support the state's commercial seafood industry by requiring restaurants and grocery stores to disclose the country of origin of seafood they sell to consumers.

“The seafood industry is vital to the economy of the entire Alabama Gulf Coast region, and as foreign-caught products flood the U.S. market, we must do everything we can to support and protect our fishing industry. “No,” said Rep. Brown (R-Hollinger's Island).

“Requiring disclosure of the country of origin of seafood will help consumers be better informed about the food they consume while promoting the use of products caught in Alabama.”

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Current state law requires seafood suppliers to notify grocery stores and restaurants of the country of origin of their products. However, you don't have to pass that information on to your consumers or customers.

Brown's bill would require grocery stores to clearly state the country of origin on seafood labels and on the boxes in which the products are displayed for sale.

Restaurants will be required to disclose the country of origin of the seafood they sell on the menu list or on prominent signage visible to diners and patrons.

Brown's bill would also require advertisements featuring seafood or food to include country of origin information.

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The Browns would also require grocery stores and restaurant operators to disclose whether their fish and shrimp products are farmed or wild-caught.

The State Health Officer would be assigned enforcement authority under the bill's provisions and could allocate civil penalties, including fines, to ensure compliance.

The 2024 Alabama regular legislative session begins on Tuesday, February 6th.

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