Department of Marine Resources outlines compliance-first enforcement for new seafood-labeling law

The Department of Marine Resources told Gulf Coast seafood businesses on the eve of House Bill 602's start date that the agency will prioritize helping establishments comply rather than immediate punishment.

"We're here to enforce the law that was put in front of us by the legislature and signed by the governor," Director General Spragggins said, adding that the department's approach is corrective: "The rule is number one, not to hurt any one of you. The rule is to be able to go out and help people get more in line with what we're doing."

Patrick Lavine, the department's chief operations officer, walked attendees through the statute's key requirements and scope. The law requires that all seafood and crawfish sold in Mississippi be labeled at the point of sale as either domestic or imported; it applies to harvesters, processors, retailers, restaurants and food trucks and covers saltwater finfish, crustaceans and mollusks (the law excludes catfish under a separate statute).

Lavine said a product qualifies as "imported" if it was harvested or raised outside the United States even when subsequent processing occurs in the U.S.; a product that never leaves the U.S. supply chain may be labeled "domestic." He emphasized that labeling must be prominent and use a font size equal to the product name where that information appears.

Agency staff showed sample inspection forms and described inspection practices intended to minimize disruption: inspectors will generally visit when operations are calm, request documentation such as bills of lading to substantiate origin claims and, in cases of doubt, may take a sample for DNA laboratory testing to verify species and origin. "That isn't the goal every time," Lavine said of sampling; most instances, he added, should be resolvable by documentation review.

Lavine also described a built-in good-faith-reliance protection: businesses that maintain clear supplier documentation can rely on it if a later test or complaint raises questions. For a first labeling error inspectors will issue written notice and give businesses three days to correct menus or signage; repeated noncompliance could escalate to civil penalties and, in egregious cases, criminal referral at agency leadership's direction.

The department said it will update frequently asked questions on its seafood-labeling web page, provide courtesy inspections on request and convene a task force (including industry and tourism representatives) to recommend process or statutory refinements. Contact information was shared at the meeting, including a general email (seafoodlabeling@dmr.ms.gov) and a point contact for attendees.

The presentation closed with staff pledging to work with businesses as they make changes to menus, advertising and point-of-sale displays: "We're going to walk with you. We're not running right now," Lavine said. Inspectors will assess compliance with an eye toward businesses' intent and demonstrated good-faith efforts to inform consumers.