Mississippi agency explains House Bill 602 labeling rules, inspections and resources

Patrick Lavine, chief operations officer at the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, said onstage that House Bill 602 is intended to "increase seafood transparency and customer confidence" and goes into effect July 1. The law requires processors, wholesalers, retailers, seafood dealers, restaurants and food trucks to label seafood as either "domestic" or "imported," with crawfish included and catfish explicitly excluded.

Lavine told attendees the law covers products whether raw or prepared and applies statewide across all 82 counties. He said packaged country-of-origin labels (for example, "product of India") can satisfy the rule for packaged goods, but point-of-sale information must still make clear for consumers whether an item is domestic or imported. "In no way shall you misrepresent to the public the product that you're selling," he said.

The department clarified how origin is defined: a product is domestic only if it was harvested, raised and processed entirely within the United States. Lavine emphasized that seafood harvested overseas and processed in the United States remains imported. He gave practical examples: if imported crab is mixed with U.S. ingredients and served in a salad, the dish does not become domestic; similarly, seafood offloaded in the United States after foreign harvest remains imported.

The forum also covered where and how labels must appear. Designations must be prominent at the point of sale: on menus, packaging, displays and online ordering platforms. Lavine said a general on-site proclamation such as "we proudly serve domestic seafood" is acceptable only if the business can document that all items covered by that statement are, in fact, domestic. Abbreviations or cryptic codes (for example, "IRD") are not allowed; the words "domestic" or "imported" must be used to avoid confusion.

For mixed-origin items, businesses may label both origins (for example, "contains domestic and imported seafood"). Lavine suggested practical approaches for changing daily inventory—attaching a flyer to a menu or updating a prominently placed blackboard—so customers can make an informed decision.

Enforcement will be carried out in coordination with the Office of Marine Patrol and the Mississippi Department of Agriculture. Inspectors will check menus and displays against receipts and bills of lading and may collect samples for laboratory species identification. Lavine said the department's approach aims to avoid unnecessary disruption: inspectors will try to visit during slow periods and will notify owners when samples are taken, except in cases the presenters described as suspected "bad actors." He added that a good-faith reliance defense requires supplier documentation.

Consequences for violations start with a written notification and a three-day period to correct the problem; repeated or deliberate misrepresentation can lead to escalated enforcement. Lavine urged businesses to audit inventory, update labeling and train staff: "If you don't know for sure, don't tell somebody it's domestic."

The department has set up resources to help with compliance, including an updated FAQ and a request form for courtesy inspections. Lavine provided a phone number for assistance (228-523-4142) and directed attendees to the seafood labeling page on the Department of Marine Resources website for details and to request a walkthrough.

Chief scientific officer Rick Burrus monitored online questions during the forum and reported there were none; presenters asked the room for questions, received none, and closed the meeting. The department said it will continue to update guidance and to convene the task force created by the law to advise on future rules, outreach and industry needs.