Food - Drink
How Russian Fish Are Getting Around The US Import Ban
By JESSIE MOLLOY
As Russia's unprovoked war in Ukraine continues, Americans may unwittingly be purchasing banned exports from Kremlin-backed industries due to a previously overlooked loophole in U.S. import laws. One Russian product still making its way to the U.S. is fish because not all fish are clearly marked as Russian caught.
The reason is due to the "substantial transformation" loophole where once a product is processed in another country it can be marked as originating in the processing country. For example, if Russian fisheries send their pollock to a facility in China that processes it into fish sticks, they can still make their way into the hands of U.S. consumers.
Some Americans are now pushing for the government to close the "significant transformation" loophole and require deeper looks at supply chains. In addition to cutting off funding for Russia's war on Ukraine, experts and politicians have argued that the seafood supply chain should be more closely monitored to avoid unethical and unsustainable fishing practices.