(The Center Square) — India, which supplies approximately 40% of the shrimp consumed in the U.S., exports significant quantities of shrimp bearing the Best Aquaculture Practices seal.
A recent investigation, however, uncovered troubling practices at BAP-certified facilities in India that suggest conditions are often identical to uncertified counterparts. These issues reportedly include forced labor, restrictive working conditions, underpayment and severe environmental harm, contradicting BAP’s promises of high ethical standards.
The Corporate Accountability Lab and the Southern Shrimp Alliance have now co-filed a formal complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, urging action against the BAP certification, a seal used by major shrimp brands and retailers to promote farmed shrimp products as safe, responsibly sourced and ethically produced.
The complaint alleges that BAP, operated by the Global Seafood Alliance, misleads consumers about the safety and ethical practices behind BAP-certified shrimp, especially those imported from India, where forced labor, antibiotic contamination and environmental damage are reportedly widespread.
“GSA, BAP, and retailers promote BAP certification as a consumer assurance that the seafood meets strict environmental and labor standards,” said Charity Ryerson, CAL’s Executive Director. “In practice, BAP certification is little more than a marketing tool. It misleads consumers into thinking all is well, while workers at BAP-certified facilities report severe exploitation and dangerous working conditions, and communities suffer from pollution that has destroyed fisheries and contaminated drinking water.”
Research conducted by the alliance further complicates the image of safety projected by BAP certification. SSA’s analysis of FDA data revealed that 87% of shrimp shipments rejected due to antibiotic contamination in 2024 came from BAP-certified facilities.
Despite the FDA’s limited inspection scope — testing only 0.1% of imports — the agency refused 71 shrimp shipments over antibiotic concerns, of which 62 were linked to BAP-certified suppliers.
“BAP’s industry-led certification scheme has clearly failed to fix the many safety, ethical, and environmental problems plaguing the Indian shrimp sector,” said John Williams, SSA’s executive director.
Certifications branded with environmental, social, and governance claims have been shown to drive sales and consumer trust, but the complaint emphasizes the FTC’s stance that certification schemes must meet the same advertising standards as marketers to avoid misleading consumers.
According to CAL, the certification’s misleading claims violate the FTC’s standards for fair advertising, as consumers are drawn to products branded with Environmental, Social, and Governance labels.
NielsenIQ research shows ESG-branded products outpacing non-ESG products in sales growth, while a 2024 survey found consumers willing to pay nearly 10% more for sustainable products.
According to Williams, the BAP label not only fails to improve conditions but “masks exploitative practices, misleading U.S. consumers into believing they’re purchasing ethical and sustainable products.”
The complaint also spotlights the environmental damage caused by shrimp farms and hatcheries, often built along India’s coastlines.
The expansion has reportedly destroyed mangroves and wetland habitats, ecosystems vital for marine biodiversity and coastal resilience. Waste from these facilities contaminates groundwater and nearby fishing waters, impacting traditional fishing communities and threatening public health.
Residents of villages near shrimp farms report groundwater contamination and degraded fishing yields, vital resources for local sustenance and employment.
The Indian government has taken minimal action to enforce labor, safety, and environmental laws within the shrimp sector, allowing certifiers like BAP and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council to step in.
However, these voluntary certifications often fall short, serving more as marketing tools than effective regulatory safeguards. Without governmental oversight, the shrimp sector’s violations of human rights and environmental standards continue unabated, leaving local communities, and Louisiana shrimpers to bear the costs.
The complaint to the FTC comes after two major Southern seafood festivals served imported, farm-raised shrimp instead of the Gulf-caught varieties they advertised.
“These results confirm what local shrimpers have suspected — that even festivals dedicated to celebrating Gulf seafood are not immune to mislabeled imports,” said SEAD Consulting in a statement.
SEAD said they will begin testing restaurants throughout the South soon.
