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How One Trade Rule Rewrote Global Seafood Trade
Description
In this episode of Global Trade with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dive into the 2020 U.S. Seafood Import Monitoring Program—a rule requiring full traceability from catch to entry for 13 species like tuna and shrimp. They trace how a single compliance requirement rewritten supply chains across Southeast Asia, forced consolidation among Thai and Vietnamese processors, and reshaped trade flows worth over $20 billion annually. The conversation explores the tension between conservation goals and trade barriers, the role of the WTO, and what this means for developing-country exporters. Specific examples include the impact on Thai Union, the world's largest canned tuna producer, and how small-scale Indonesian fishermen were squeezed out. A tight, concrete case study showing how one due diligence rule can ripple through global commerce.