Forced labor in distant-water fishing fleets and US policy

At the Los Angeles/Long Beach port-of-entry, CBP enforces forced-labor import bans primarily through Withhold Release Orders (WROs) and detention actions under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). For example, CBP issued a WRO on the Chinese fishing fleet operated by Da Wang Fishery and Yu Long Industry, which effectively blocks their seafood from entering the U.S. unless importers can prove the goods were not produced with forced labor ^[2]. In 2023, CBP modified a WRO on Yu Long No. 2 (a specific vessel) after the company provided evidence of compliance, allowing certain shipments to be released ^[1]. However, the sources do not name any specific LA seafood importers that have been subject to enforcement actions (e.g., seizures, penalties, or audits) at the LA/Long Beach port. To verify supplier labor practices, restaurants should: (1) request supply chain traceability documentation (e.g., catch certificates, worker contracts, and audit reports) from their seafood suppliers; (2) check CBP’s public WRO list and UFLPA Entity List for any flags on their suppliers; and (3) require third-party certifications (e.g., Fair Trade, MSC’s responsible sourcing standard) that include forced-labor audits. The sources do not provide a specific verification protocol for restaurants.