U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report that described suggested improvements to imported fish oversight. 80% of seafood is imported from abroad, and around half of that is farmed. Farmed fish have a higher chance of containing chemicals and drugs that pose potential health risks. The Food and Drug Administration must ensure these  imports are safe, however they rarely inspect fish processors overseas. For instance, a mere 5% of 801 fish processing plants in Vietnam which provide fish to the United States were inspected. Drugs and chemicals in seafood are also untested since there is currently no known way to check for them.

According to news reports, the European Union already performs food safety legislation, farmed fish inspection, and site visits. The FDA should improve their standards by checking sites in China, which import 25% of fish imported to the United States. A small percentage of those processing plants are inspected. As a Lebanon auto accident lawyer, I hope that seafood safety is improved in the US. If you or a loved one were harmed by an unsafe product, discuss your case with a Lebanon personal injury lawyer who can evaluate your claim and help defend your rights.

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