Customs Dispute Puts Fish Stick, Filet Supply In Jeopardy In U.S.

An ongoing brouhaha over the means of transporting fish from Canada to the United States may culminate in supply problems for fish sticks and filet, according to the Associated Press.

Apparently, the product for which the supply is being threatened is the Alaska pollock. The pollack is a fish that is used for fast-food sandwiches and fish sticks. Most fish offerings at fast-food restaurants, including McDonald's popular Filet-O-Fish sandwich, are made from pollock.

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What's behind the dispute? It's called the Jones Act. Under the Jones Act, products that are shipped between U.S. ports must be shipped on U.S.-owned vessels. U.S. Customs and Border Protection alleges that shippers have violated the Jones Act.

This disruption of the pollock supply chain could not have come at a worse time. With the holidays just around the corner and Lent a little further out. Many Christians substitute red meat with fish during the holidays and the Lenten season. The bottom line is that pollock is in higher demand this time of the year.

The ongoing dispute has gotten so lengthy and tenuous that Governor Charlie Baker has even asked President Biden to step into the fray and help resolve the matter. Massachusetts, being home to many of the largest seafood processors in the nation, will definitely suffer economically if the fish don't start moving.

There is much, much more to the story. Please check it out on the Associated Press' website here.