Following two successful NOAA investigations, seafood importers were issued thousands of dollars in fines for improperly labeling tuna cans as "dolphin safe" products.
Affirmative findings help ensure that nations importing yellowfin tuna comply with U.S. environmental laws and requirements regarding dolphin-safe tuna.
Vessel captains must complete the Tuna Tracking and Verification Program Dolphin-Safe Captain’s Training Course for tuna to be certified as dolphin-safe.
The Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) is published by the U.S. International Trade Commission. All goods imported into the United States are subject to the provisions of the HTS.
U.S. regulations require fishing vessel captains to sign and submit statements attesting to how tuna was harvested for it to be certified as dolphin-safe.
NOAA Fisheries’ Tuna Tracking and Verification Program monitors compliance with dolphin-safe labeling of tuna. This includes tuna produced domestically at U.S. canneries and all imports of frozen tuna and/or processed tuna products, nationwide.
The dolphin-safe status of all frozen and/or processed tuna and tuna products imported into the United States must be declared through a Fisheries Certificate of Origin.
NOAA Fisheries' Tuna Tracking and Verification Program is the only program recognized by the U.S. Government that legally satisfies all applicable federal regulations regarding dolphin-safe certification of tuna.
The Tuna Tracking and Verification Program is the only program recognized by the U.S. government that legally satisfies all applicable federal regulations regarding dolphin-safe certification of tuna.
