WASHINGTON –U.S. Senators Mark Pryor (D-AR) and John Boozman (R-AR) work to protect the catfish industry from the dumping of foreign catfish on U.S. markets. Today the U.S. Department of Commerce says it will uphold a fair trade practice. The Department issued its decision that Vietnamese catfish will face fair antidumping duties when imported into the U.S. 

“Today’s announcement is a win for Arkansas’s catfish industry,” Pryor said. “I’m pleased the Department of Commerce has listened to our urgings and will uphold our trade laws already on the books so our catfish farmers can stay competitive in today’s global economy.” 

“This is a good step forward as we continue to make sure our catfish farmers are operating on a fair and level playing field,” Boozman said. 

In a letter sent yesterday to Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, a bipartisan group of Senators asked the Secretary to uphold a decision reached last summer that determined U.S. catfish producers have been harmed by unfairly-priced frozen fish fillets from Vietnam. 

“We are writing to ask you to ensure that the Vietnam Frozen Fish Fillets antidumping proceeding is conducted consistent with the commitment of this Administration to vigorously enforce U.S. trade laws. Our borders are the most opened in the world, but free and open trade is only possible if we insist that this trade be fair. 

Pryor, Boozman and Senators Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Roger Wicker (R-MS), David Vitter (R-LA) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA)  signed onto the letter than can be read here. 

Pryor and Boozman also encouraged the Department of Commerce to enforce the antidumping orders against frozen fish fillets from Vietnam in this letter sent in February.