[Senate Report 119-101]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 313
119th Congress} { Report
SENATE
2nd Session } { 119-101
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FIGHTING FOREIGN ILLEGAL SEAFOOD
HARVESTS ACT OF 2025
__________
R E P O R T
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
on
S. 688
February 3, 2026.--Ordered to be printed
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
69-010 WASHINGTON : 2026
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SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
one hundred nineteenth congress
second session
TED CRUZ, Texas, Chairman
JOHN THUNE, South Dakota MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
JERRY MORAN, Kansas EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska GARY C. PETERS, Michigan
MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
TODD YOUNG, Indiana TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
TED BUDD, North Carolina JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
ERIC SCHMITT, Missouri BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico
JOHN CURTIS, Utah JOHN W. HICKENLOOPER, Colorado
BERNIE MORENO, Ohio JOHN FETTERMAN, Pennsylvania
TIM SHEEHY, Montana ANDY KIM, New Jersey
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia LISA BLUNT ROCHESTER, Delaware
CYNTHIA M. LUMMIS, Wyoming
Brad Grantz, Majority Staff Director
Lila Harper Helms, Democratic Staff Director
Calendar No. 313
119th Congress} { Report
SENATE
2nd Session } { 119-101
======================================================================
FIGHTING FOREIGN ILLEGAL SEAFOOD HARVESTS ACT OF 2025
_______
February 3, 2026.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Cruz, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 688]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office:]
The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to
which was referred the bill (S. 688) to combat illegal,
unreported, and unregulated fishing at its sources globally,
having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an
amendment and recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass.
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of S. 688, the Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood
Harvests Act of 2025, is to combat illegal, unreported, and
unregulated (IUU) fishing at its sources by increasing
enforcement against forced labor and IUU fishing.
Background and Needs
IUU fishing is a global problem that threatens ocean
ecosystems and sustainable fisheries because it violates laws,
depletes fish stocks through overfishing, damages marine
habitats, and undermines efforts to manage resources
responsibly.\1\ IUU fishing also threatens economic security
and places law-abiding fishermen and seafood producers in the
United States and abroad at a competitive disadvantage by
enabling illegal operators to evade regulations, sell
unverified seafood at lower prices, and flood the market with
untraceable, unregulated seafood.\2\
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\1\``Understanding Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing,''
NOAA Fisheries, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/insight/understanding-
illegal-unreported-and-unregulated-fishing.
\2\Ibid at 1.
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While the word ``fishing'' is commonly used, in this case,
it also refers to marine catches other than fish, such as
crustaceans (crab, lobster, and shrimp), mollusks (squid,
octopus, cuttlefish, oysters, and snails), echinoderms
(starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers), and other
invertebrates.\3\ IUU fishing is internationally recognized and
defined as follows:
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\3\``Global Implications of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated
(IUU) Fishing,'' National Intelligence Council, September 2019, https:/
/irp.fas.org/nic/fishing.pdf.
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Illegal fishing refers to harvest of fish and other
marine life in waters that fall under the jurisdiction
of coastal States, without permission, or violating
those countries' laws. It also includes fishing
techniques forbidden by international law and in waters
under the jurisdiction of a Regional Fisheries
Management Organization (RFMO)\4\ in violation of that
organization's rules.\5\
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\4\Ibid at 1.
\5\Ibid at 1.
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Unreported fishing includes catch that are either
not reported at all or are misreported to the relevant
authorities, either intentionally or not. In either
case, unreported fishing undermines coastal States and
RFMO efforts to monitor and manage fisheries.\6\
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\6\Ibid at 1.
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Unregulated fishing is legally the most difficult of
the three to tackle. It refers to fishing in
international waters beyond coastal State jurisdiction,
which is not covered by RFMO rules. It also includes
activities in waters covered by an RFMO by vessels
fishing for species not regulated by the organization's
rules, or by vessels without nationality or flying the
flag of a country not party to the RFMO, and which
therefore do not consider themselves bound by the
organization's rules.\7\
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\7\Ibid at 1.
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DEPLETED FISH STOCKS
Approximately 4.3 billion people rely on seafood as a large
source of protein in their diet.\8\ This number is expected to
grow as the world's population grows. Many fish stocks that
serve as critical food sources are overfished or in danger of
being overfished. The term ``fish stock'' refers to a group of
fish of the same species that live in the same geographic area
and mix enough to breed with each other, forming a distinct
population.\9\ Globally, significant levels of overfishing fall
under the internationally recognized category of IUU fishing.
The loss of these fish stocks, higher seafood prices, and the
inherent difficulties of managing highly migratory and
spatially dispersed species have created increased competition
over a diminishing resource. As fish stocks are depleted,
unlawful fishermen are incentivized to increase their catch by
fishing in other countries' waters and on the high seas and
violating labor laws to cut down on costs and maximize harvest.
Such actions undermine sustainable fishery management programs
and further the decline of fish stocks, driving more illegal
fishing.
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\8\``Coral Reefs 101, Why We Care About Reefs?,'' Coral Reef
Alliance, August 2024, https://coral.org/en/coral-reefs-101/why-care-
about-reefs/food/.
\9\``Fish Stock Assessment 101,'' NOAA Fisheries, June 17, 2013,
https://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/Assets/stock/documents/
Fish_Stock_Assessment_101.pdf.
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Recent studies suggest that IUU fishing constitutes
approximately 20 percent of global seafood catch,\10\ resulting
in global economic losses estimated between $26 billion and $50
billion annually.\11\ International agreements have attempted
to help regulate this growing problem and have been helpful in
areas where countries have visibility on fishing activity and
strong enforcement mechanisms. Unfortunately, vast areas of the
ocean remain unmonitored and unenforced.
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\10\Alfredo Giron, ``How Data and Tech Can Help Combat Illegal
Fishing,'' World Economic Forum, May 20, 2022, https://www.weforum.org/
stories/2022/05/how-can-data-and-tech-help-the-seafood-industry-to-
combat-illegal-fishing/.
\11\Ussif Rashid Sumaila et al., ``Illicit Trade in Marine Fish
Catch and Its Effects on Ecosystems and People Worldwide,'' Science
Advances, https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aaz3801.
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TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS
Loss of fishing opportunities have led fishermen to reduce
costs through illegal means and in some instances, have
resulted in fishermen abandoning fishing altogether and
sometimes pursuing other illegal activities. Many Somali
pirates began as fishers but turned to crime once the amount of
fish was depleted.\12\ There is evidence that some
transnational criminal organizations, in addition to smuggling
and other illicit activity, are participating in illegal
fishing.\13\ Some fishers seize their deckhands' passports and
forbid them to leave the vessel, effectively turning them into
slave labor.\14\ Force is used to maintain discipline, with
noncompliant workers being beaten or executed.\15\
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\12\``What Are the Causes of Maritime Piracy in Somalia Waters?,''
Marine Insight, July 2022, https://www.marineinsight.com/marine-piracy-
marine/causes-of-piracy-in-somalia-waters/.
\13\Emma Witbooi et al., ``Organize Crime in the Fisheries Sector
Threatens a Sustainable Ocean Economy,'' Nature, November 11, 2020,
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2913-5.
\14\``U.S. Government Task Force on Combating Illegal, Unreported,
and Unregulated Fishing and Seafood Fraud,'' NOAA Fisheries, July 2023,
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/international-affairs/us-
government-task-force-combating-illegal-unreported-and.
\15\``Thailand: Forced Labor, Trafficking Persist in Fishing
Fleets,'' Human Rights Watch, January 2018, https://www.hrw.org/news/
2018/01/23/thailand-forced-labor-trafficking-persist-fishing-fleets.
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Some nations help orchestrate illegal fishing to further
their national interests and encroach on other territorial
seas. China, with its infamous nine-dashed line, an
internationally disputed and vaguely defined maritime boundary,
has expanded its claim in the South China Sea, leading to
confrontations with other countries' fishers, coast guards, and
navies.\16\ Other countries, including Taiwan, Spain,
Indonesia, and Mexico, have histories of illegal fishing as
well.\17\ They have combated illegal fishing and smuggling both
in their waters and by prosecuting their citizens for illegally
fishing in other waters. Red snapper, for example, is
consistently being poached by Mexican fishermen who come into
U.S. waters and then return to Mexico with their catch. These
fish are then sold in Mexico or exported back to the United
States illegally. In many cases, Mexican IUU fishing vessels
fishing in U.S. waters have also been found to smuggle drugs.
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\16\Zhiguo Gao and Bing Bing Jia, ``The Nine-dash Line in the South
China Sea: History, Status, and Implications,'' American Journal of
International Law, vol. 107, no. 1 (January 2013), pp. 98-124, https://
www.jstor.org/stable/10.5305/amerjintelaw.107.1.0098.
\17\Janet Coit and Dr. Richard W. Spinrad, 2023 Report to Congress:
Improving International Fisheries Management, NOAA Fisheries, August
2023, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/s3/2023-08/2023RTC-
ImprovingIFManagement.pdf.
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Summary of Provisions
S. 688, as reported, would do the following:
Direct NOAA to establish an IUU list of foreign
vessels and owners engaged in IUU fishing and authorize
appropriations of $20 million annually for fiscal years
2025 through 2030 to the Department of Commerce to
implement these efforts.
Authorize the Secretary of Treasury to impose
sanctions on vessels or other entities on the IUU
vessel list.
Encourage the executive branch to address IUU
fishing in any relevant international agreements.
Direct the Coast Guard to increase the monitoring
and potential boarding of suspected IUU fishing
vessels.
Direct NOAA to commission a report from the National
Academy of Sciences to conduct a multifaceted study on
the costs of IUU fishing and authorize $4 million to
carry it out.
Require the Secretary of Commerce to coordinate with
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to develop a
strategy for using U.S. Government data to identify
seafood harvested on foreign vessels using forced labor
and publish the information on the CBP website.
Direct the Secretary of State and NOAA to report to
Congress on how new technologies can aid in the fight
against IUU fishing, the complexities of the seafood
trade relationship between Russia and China, and the
success of prosecutions against IUU fishermen operating
in U.S. waters.
Authorize $105.7 million for fiscal years 2026
through 2031 for the National Sea Grant College
Program.
Legislative History
S. 688 was introduced on February 24, 2025, by Senator
Sullivan (for himself and Senator Whitehouse) and was referred
to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of
the Senate. On April 30, 2025, the Committee met in open
Executive Session and, by voice vote, ordered S. 688 reported
favorably with an amendment. Senators Murkowski, Wicker,
Graham, Merkley, Blunt Rochester, Coons, and Kennedy are
additional cosponsors.
118th Congress
S. 1227, the FISH Act of 2023, was introduced on April 20,
2023, by Senator Sullivan (for himself and Senators Whitehouse,
Murkowski, Wicker, and Schatz) and was referred to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate. Senators Coons, Graham, and Merkley were additional
cosponsors.
117th Congress
S. 4773, the FISH Act of 2022, was introduced on August 4,
2022, by Senator Sullivan (for himself and Senator Whitehouse)
and was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate.
Estimated Costs
In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget
Office:
The bill would:
Reauthorize appropriations for the National
Sea Grant College Program
Authorize appropriations for the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other
federal agencies to expand enforcement of regulations
against illegal, unreported, or unregulated (IUU)
fishing
Authorize federal agencies to impose
sanctions on any foreign person or entity engaging in
IUU fishing
Impose a private-sector mandate by expanding
the scope of authority for the Administration to
regulate certain transactions subject to sanctions
Estimated budgetary effects would mainly stem from:
Authorizing appropriations for the National
Sea Grant College Program
Authorizing appropriations to expand
enforcement of regulations against IUU fishing
Bill summary: S. 688 would reauthorize the National Sea
Grant College Program until September 30, 2031. In addition,
the bill would authorize appropriations for the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other federal
agencies to expand enforcement of regulations against illegal,
unreported, or unregulated (IUU) fishing and establish and
maintain a blacklist of foreign vessels involved in those
activities. The bill would increase sanctions and penalties for
violators and would require agencies to track the use of forced
labor on those vessels.
Estimated Federal cost: The estimated budgetary effect of
S. 688 is shown in Table 1. The costs of the legislation fall
within budget function 300 (natural resources and environment).
TABLE 1.--ESTIMATED INCREASES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION UNDER S. 688
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By fiscal year, millions of dollars--
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2026-
2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2030
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National Sea Grant College Program:
Authorization.............................................. 112 112 112 112 112 560
Estimated Outlays.......................................... 67 92 108 111 111 489
IUU Fishing Enforcement and Blacklist:
Authorization.............................................. 24 20 20 20 20 104
Estimated Outlays.......................................... 14 17 20 20 20 91
Administrative Costs:
Estimated Authorization.................................... 4 1 1 1 1 8
Estimated Outlays.......................................... 3 1 1 1 1 7
Total Changes:
Estimated Authorization................................ 140 133 133 133 133 672
Estimated Outlays...................................... 84 110 129 132 132 587
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IUU = illegal, unreported, or unregulated.
CBO estimates that enacting the bill would change direct spending and revenues over the 2026-2035 period by an
insignificant amount.
Basis of estimate: CBO assumes that S. 688 will be enacted
by the end of calendar year 2025 and that the authorized and
necessary amounts will be available in each year.
Spending subject to appropriation: Based on historical
spending patterns, CBO estimates that implementing the bill
would cost $587 million over the 2026-2030 period.
National Sea Grant College Program. S. 688 would authorize
the appropriation of $112 million annually from 2026 through
2031 for the National Sea Grant College Program. That program
is a partnership between NOAA and 34 universities that focuses
on research, conservation, and the effective use of U.S.
coastal resources. In 2024, the Congress provided $80 million
for the program. CBO estimates that implementing the provision
would cost $489 million over the 2026-2030 period and $175
million after 2030, assuming appropriation of the authorized
amounts.
Enforcement of Illegal-Fishing Regulations and Blacklisting
Violators. S. 688 would authorize the appropriation of $20
million annually from 2026 through 2030 for NOAA, in
coordination with Customs and Border Protection, and the
Departments of Labor and State, to expand enforcement of
regulations against IUU fishing.
Under the bill, NOAA would maintain and publish a blacklist
of foreign vessels that violate IUU-fishing regulations and
that are identified as using forced labor in those activities.
The agency also would be directed to issue regulations for
adding vessels to and removing them from the list.
S. 688 also would authorize $4 million for the National
Academy of Sciences to study the use of forced labor in IUU
fishing, the costs to the global economy of those activities,
and the effectiveness of strategies for deterring them.
CBO estimates that implementing those provisions would cost
$91 million over the 2026-2030 period and $12 million after
2030, assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts.
Administrative Costs. Using information from the agencies,
CBO estimates that implementing S. 688 would cost NOAA $4
million in the first year to develop a strategy to increase
IUU-fishing inspection and enforcement programs, to coordinate
with other federal agencies and regional fisheries management
organizations, and to collect and analyze data and prepare
reports.\1\ Thereafter, costs would total about $1 million
annually for enforcement and increased screening of seafood
imports. CBO estimates that those activities would cost a total
of $7 million over the 2026-2030 period; any related spending
would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
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\1\The United States is a member of several regional fisheries
management organizations, including the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries
Organization, the North Pacific Fisheries Commission, the South East
Atlantic Fisheries Organization, and the Western Central Atlantic
Fisheries Commission. The goal of those treaty-based organizations is
to sustainably manage and conserve shared fish stocks and other marine
resources.
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Direct spending and revenues: S. 688 would allow the
Administration to impose sanctions on any foreign persons or
entities engaging in IUU fishing. CBO estimates that enacting
the bill would have an insignificant effect on direct spending
and revenues over the 2026-2035 period stemming from the
sanctions the bill would authorize.
Under current law, the Administration can sanction foreign
persons and entities that engage in corruption, including IUU
fishing. If the enactment of S. 688 leads the Administration to
broaden those sanctions, more people would be denied visas by
the Department of State, resulting in an insignificant decrease
in revenues from visa fees. Although most visa fees are
retained by the Department of State and spent, some collections
are deposited in the Treasury as revenues. Denying foreign
nationals entry into the United States also would reduce direct
spending on federal benefits (emergency Medicaid or federal
subsidies for health insurance, for example) for which those
people might otherwise be eligible.
The bill would block transactions involving certain assets
either in the United States or under the control of people or
entities in the United States. Under the bill, any person or
entity violating those prohibitions would be subject to civil
or criminal monetary penalties. Such penalties are recorded as
revenues, and a portion can be spent without further
appropriation.
Using data from similar sanctions, CBO estimates that any
additional sanctions imposed under the bill would affect a
small number of people. Thus, enacting S. 688 would have
insignificant effects on revenues and direct spending, and
would, on net, reduce deficits by insignificant amounts over
the 2026-2035 period.
Pay-As-You-Go considerations: The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go
Act of 2010 establishes budget-reporting and enforcement
procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or
revenues. CBO estimates that enacting the bill would change
direct spending and revenues by less than $500,000 over the
2026-2035 period.
Increase in long-term net direct spending and deficits: CBO
estimates that enacting S. 688 would not increase net direct
spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive
10-year periods beginning in 2036.
Mandates: S. 688 would impose a private-sector mandate as
defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) by expanding
the scope of authority for the Administration to regulate
transactions between entities in the United States and foreign
entities and officials of foreign governments who would be
subject to sanctions under the bill. That expansion would
result in additional burdens on individuals and entities, such
as banks, in the United States that are required to monitor and
report on foreign transactions and to block access to certain
assets owned by sanctioned entities. Such an expansion also
would prohibit transactions between entities in the United
States and sanctioned parties that otherwise would be permitted
under current law.
The cost of the mandate would be any income or profit lost
as a result of the bill's enactment. CBO expects that because a
small number of people or entities would be affected, the loss
of income from any incremental increase in restrictions imposed
by the bill would be small as well. CBO estimates that the cost
of the mandate would fall well below the annual threshold
established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($206 million
in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation).
S. 688 contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in
UMRA.
Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Aurora Swanson;
Mandates: Erich Dvorak and Brandon Lever.
Estimate reviewed by: Ann E. Futrell, Chief, Natural and
Physical Resources Cost Estimates Unit; Kathleen FitzGerald,
Chief, Public and Private Mandates Unit; H. Samuel Papenfuss,
Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
Estimate approved by: Mark P. Hadley for Phillip L. Swagel,
Director, Congressional Budget Office.
Regulatory Impact Statement
In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the
legislation, as reported:
NUMBER OF PERSONS COVERED
S. 688, as reported, would impose new sanctions and other
penalties on persons who are covered under the required IUU
vessel list, which would include those individuals employed on
vessels in vessel fleets and who are the owners of vessels
found to be conducting IUU fishing.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
S. 688, as reported, may have a minimal adverse impact on
the economy of the Nation. The bill would impose narrowly
applied sanctions, enforce international fishing standards, and
protect American fishermen from unfair foreign competition
without imposing undue regulatory burdens on domestic
industries.
PRIVACY
S. 688, as reported, would have minimal adverse impact on
the personal privacy of individuals. The bill would impact
persons who are covered under the required IUU vessel list,
which would include those individuals employed on vessels, in
vessel fleets and who are the owners of vessels found to be
conducting IUU fishing.
PAPERWORK
S. 688, as reported, would not require a major increase in
paperwork burdens. Increases in paperwork requirements for
Federal agencies would include a requirement for NOAA to
maintain the IUU vessel list and the Coast Guard to submit a
report to Congress detailing bilateral agreements used during
patrol. It would also require the Secretary of Homeland
Security, NOAA, and the Working Group to conduct a study to
assess the impact of new technology on IUU fishing and
associated crime and propose ways to integrate these
technologies into global fisheries enforcement and management.
It would also require the Secretary of State, with support from
the Secretary of Commerce, to conduct a study on the influence
of the Russian and Chinese fishing industries on one another
and on the U.S. seafood and fishing industry.
Congressionally Directed Spending
In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no
provisions contained in the bill, as reported, meet the
definition of congressionally directed spending items under the
rule.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short title.
This section would provide that the bill may be cited as
the ``Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025''
or the ``FISH Act of 2025''.
Section 2. Definitions.
This section would define the terms ``Administrator'',
``beneficial owner'', ``fish'', ``forced labor'', ``IUU
fishing'', ``regional fisheries management organization'',
``seafood'', and ``Secretary''.
Section 3. Statement of policy.
This section would state that the policy of the United
States is to consult and coordinate with a wide array of
partners and stakeholders to continue the broad effort across
the U.S. Government to combat IUU fishing.
Section 4. Establishment of a black list (IUU vessel list).
This section would direct NOAA, in coordination with other
Federal agencies, to establish a list of foreign vessels,
foreign fleets, and beneficial owners of foreign vessels or
fleets engaged in IUU fishing. Criteria for inclusion on the
list would include violations such as involvement in IUU
fishing, forced labor, or violation of international fishing
management organization regulations. This section would outline
the procedures for nominating and adding foreign vessels to the
IUU vessel list, direct NOAA to make the list publicly
available, and list the consequences for being on the IUU
vessel list. Additionally, this section would outline the
enforcement measures of being on the IUU list, set a process
for removing vessels from the list, and require NOAA to issue
regulations for maintaining and publishing the IUU vessel list.
Finally, this section would authorize appropriations of $20
million annually for fiscal years 2025 through 2030 to the
Department of Commerce to implement these efforts.
Section 5. Imposition of sanctions.
This section would authorize the Secretary of the Treasury
to impose sanctions on foreign individuals, foreign vessels, or
entities involved in harmful activities, such as trading
endangered fish species or participating in IUU fishing, and
would describe the sanctions which could be imposed.
Section 6. Agreements.
This section would encourage the President to consider the
impact of IUU fishing and forced labor in negotiations with
foreign nations and strengthen efforts to combat these issues
in relevant agreements. This section would also urge the
Federal Government to promote the ratification of treaties like
the UN Fish Stocks Agreement and engage in international
initiatives, including those within the G7, G20, and the United
Nations, to address IUU fishing's underlying drivers. Lastly,
this section would also consider any memorandums of
understanding or other non-binding instruments that further
these objectives as qualifying non-binding instruments under
U.S. law.
Section 7. Enforcement provisions.
This section would direct the Coast Guard to increase the
monitoring and potential boarding of suspected IUU fishing
vessels on the high seas and coordinate with NOAA and regional
fisheries management organizations to assess corrective actions
taken by countries whose registered vessels have been boarded
for IUU fishing suspicions. Additionally, this section would
require the Coast Guard, no later than 3 years after enactment,
to submit a report to Congress detailing bilateral agreements
used during patrols, incidents of IUU fishing observed during
patrols, vessel information, actions taken upon boarding
refusals, and potential enforcement measures to curb IUU
fishing.
Section 8. Improved management at the Regional Fisheries Management
Organizations.
This section would amend the Maritime SAFE Act to expand
the responsibilities of the Interagency Working Group on IUU
Fishing to include the development of strategies for leveraging
enforcement capacity against IUU fishing, forced labor, and
human trafficking. This section would also direct the Secretary
of State, in coordination with the Coast Guard, and NOAA, to
identify regional fisheries management organizations in the
United States that lack high seas boarding inspection programs,
and assess obstacles, needed authorities, or ongoing efforts to
enhance these programs.
Section 9. Strategies to optimize data collection, sharing, and
analysis.
This section would direct the Working Group to produce a
report, no later than 3 years after enactment, that identifies
relevant data streams from Working Group members and barriers
to data sharing; provides recommendations for joint
enforcement, collaboration, and information sharing between
Federal agencies, enhancing CBP and NOAA's field investigation
capacity, disseminating IUU fishing analysis, establishing an
IUU fishing information sharing center, and developing an
implementation strategy; and includes an analysis of IUU
fishing policies of other countries.
Section 10. Investment and technical assistance in the fisheries
sector.
This section would encourage the Secretary of State, the
U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator, and
the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with heads of
relevant agencies, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and
multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, to increase
support for programs that provide technical assistance to and
investment in nations' fisheries sector. This section would
also require the Interagency Working group to analyze U.S.
capacity-building expertise and resources to provide support to
nations' fisheries sectors.
Section 11. Preventing importation of seafood and seafood products from
foreign vessels using forced labor.
This section would require the Secretary of Commerce to
coordinate with CBP to develop a strategy for using U.S.
Government data to identify seafood harvested on foreign
vessels using forced labor and publish the information on the
CBP website.
Section 12. Reports.
This section would direct the Secretary of Homeland
Security, NOAA, and the Working Group to conduct a study to
assess the impact of new technology on IUU fishing and
associated crime and propose ways to integrate these
technologies into global fisheries enforcement and management.
This section would also require the Secretary of State, with
support from the Secretary of Commerce, to conduct a study on
the influence of the Russian and Chinese fishing industries on
one another and on the U.S. seafood and fishing industry.
This section would also direct NOAA to enter into an
agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,
and Medicine to undertake a multifaceted study on the costs of
IUU fishing. This section would authorize appropriations of $4
million to carry out the study.
Lastly, this section would require NOAA to submit a report
to Congress regarding the findings and recommendations from the
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
study, no later than 24 months after enactment.
Section 13. Authorization of appropriations for National Sea Grant
College Program.
This section would authorize appropriations of $105.7
million for each fiscal year 2026 through 2031.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
material is printed in italic, existing law in which no change
is proposed is shown in roman):
HIGH SEAS DRIFTNET FISHING MORATORIUM PROTECTION ACT
* * * * * * *
TITLE VI--DRIFTNET MORATORIUM
* * * * * * *
[16 U.S.C. 1826i]
SEC 608. ACTION TO STRENGTHEN INTERNATIONAL FISHERY MANAGEMENT
ORGANIZATIONS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the
Secretary of State, and in cooperation with relevant fishery
management councils and any relevant advisory committees, shall
take actions to improve the effectiveness of international
fishery management organizations, or arrangements made pursuant
to an international fishery agreement, in conserving and
managing fish stocks under their jurisdiction. These actions
shall include--
(1) * * *
* * * * * * *
(b) Disclosure of Information.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, subject to the data
confidentiality provisions in section 402 of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (16 U.S.C. 1881a) except as provided in paragraph
(2), may disclose, as necessary and appropriate,
information, including information collected under
joint authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et
seq.) and the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of 1975 (16
U.S.C. 71 et seq.), the Western and Central Pacific
Fisheries Convention Implementation Act (16 U.S.C. 6901
et seq.), any other statute implementing an
international fishery agreement, to any other Federal
or State government agency, the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations, or the secretariat
or equivalent of an international fishery management
organization or arrangement made pursuant to an
international fishery agreement, if such government,
organization, or arrangement, respectively, has
policies and procedures to protect such information
from unintended or unauthorized disclosure.
(2) Exceptions.--The data confidentiality
provisions in section 402 of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C.
1881a) shall not apply with respect to this Act--
(A) for obligations of the United States to
share information under a regional fisheries
management organization (as that term is
defined by the United Nation's Food and
Agriculture Organization Agreement on Port
State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing) of
which the United States is a member; or
(B) to any information collected by the
Secretary regarding foreign vessels.
[(c) IUU Vessel Lists.--The Secretary may--
[(1) develop, maintain, and make public a list of
vessels and vessel owners engaged in illegal,
unreported, or unregulated fishing or fishing-related
activities in support of illegal, unreported, or
unregulated fishing, including vessels or vessel owners
identified by an international fishery management
organization or arrangement made pursuant to an
international fishery agreement, that--
[(A) the United States is party to; or
[(B) the United States is not party to, but
whose procedures and criteria in developing and
maintaining a list of such vessels and vessel
owners are substantially similar to such
procedures and criteria adopted pursuant to an
international fishery agreement to which the
United States is a party; and
[(2) take appropriate action against listed vessels
and vessel owners, including action against fish, fish
parts, or fish products from such vessels, in
accordance with applicable United States law and
consistent with applicable international law, including
principles, rights, and obligations established in
applicable international fishery management agreements
and trade agreements.
[(d) Regulations.--The Secretary may promulgate regulations
to implement this section.]
(c) Black List (IUU Vessel List).--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in coordination
with the Secretary of State, the Commissioner of U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, and the Secretary of
Labor, shall develop, maintain, and make public a list
of foreign vessels, foreign fleets, and beneficial
owners of foreign vessels or foreign fleets engaged in
IUU fishing or fishing-related activities in support of
IUU fishing (referred to in this section as the ``IUU
vessel list'').
(2) Inclusion on list.--The IUU vessel list shall
include any foreign vessel, foreign fleet, or
beneficial owner of a foreign vessel or foreign fleet
for which the Secretary determines there is clear and
convincing evidence to believe that a foreign vessel is
any of the following (even if the Secretary has only
partial information regarding the foreign vessel):
(A) A foreign vessel listed on an IUU
vessel list of an international fishery
management organization.
(B) A foreign vessel taking part in fishing
that undermines the effectiveness of an
international fishery management organization's
conservation and management measures, including
a foreign vessel--
(i) exceeding applicable
international fishery management
organization catch limits; or
(ii) that is operating inconsistent
with relevant catch allocation
arrangements of the international
fishery management organization, even
if operating under the authority of a
foreign country that is not a member of
the international fishery management
organization.
(C) A foreign vessel, either on the high
seas or in the exclusive economic zone of
another country, identified and reported by
United States authorities to an international
fishery management organization to be
conducting IUU fishing when the United States
has reason to believe the foreign country to
which the foreign vessel is registered or
documented is not addressing the allegation.
(D) A foreign vessel, foreign fleet, or
beneficial owner of a foreign vessel or foreign
fleet on the high seas identified by United
States authorities to be conducting IUU fishing
or fishing that involves the use of forced
labor, including individuals and entities
subject to a withhold release order or a
finding issued by U.S. Customs and Border
Protection pursuant to section 307 of the
Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1307) or any
other U.S. Customs and Border Protection
enforcement action, sanctions imposed by the
Department of the Treasury under the Global
Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (22
U.S.C. 10101 et seq.), or any other United
States Government forced labor prevention or
enforcement action that has not been
subsequently revoked.
(E) A foreign vessel that provides services
(excluding emergency or enforcement services)
to a foreign vessel that is on the IUU vessel
list, including transshipment, resupply,
refueling, or pilotage.
(F) A foreign vessel that is a fishing
vessel engaged in commercial fishing within the
exclusive economic zone of the United States
without a permit issued under title II of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1821 et seq.).
(G) A foreign vessel that has the same
beneficial owner as a foreign vessel on the IUU
vessel list at the time of the infraction.
(H) A foreign vessel or beneficial owner of
a foreign vessel subject to economic sanctions
administered by the Department of the Treasury
Office of Foreign Assets Control for
transnational criminal activity associated with
IUU fishing under Executive Order 13581 (76
Fed. Reg. 44757, 84 Fed. Reg. 10255; relating
to blocking property of transnational criminal
organizations), or any other applicable
economic sanctions program, including sanctions
imposed by the Department of the Treasury under
the Global Magnitsky Human Rights
Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 10101 et seq.).
(3) Nominations to be put on the black (iuu vessel)
list.--The Secretary may receive nominations for
putting a foreign vessel on the IUU vessel list from--
(A) the head of an executive branch agency
that is a member of the Interagency Working
Group on IUU Fishing established under section
3551 of the Maritime SAFE Act (16 U.S.C. 8031);
(B) a country that is a member of the
Combined Maritime Forces; or
(C) civil organizations that have data-
sharing agreements with a member of the
Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing.
(4) Procedures for addition.--The Secretary may put
a foreign vessel on the IUU vessel list only after
notification to the foreign vessel's beneficial owner
and a review of any information that the owner provides
within 90 days of the notification.
(5) Public information.--The Secretary shall
publish its procedures for adding foreign vessels on,
and removing foreign vessels from, the IUU vessel list.
The Secretary shall publish the IUU vessel list itself
in the Federal Register annually and on a website,
which shall be updated any time a foreign vessel is
added to the IUU vessel list, and include the following
information (as much as is available and confirmed) for
each foreign vessel on the IUU vessel list:
(A) The name of the foreign vessel and
previous names of the foreign vessel.
(B) The International Maritime Organization
(IMO) number of the foreign vessel, or other
Unique Vessel Identifier (such as the flag
state permit number or authorized vessel number
issued by an international fishery management
organization).
(C) The maritime mobile service identity
number and call sign of the foreign vessel.
(D) The business or corporate address of
each beneficial owner of the foreign vessel.
(E) The country where the foreign vessel is
registered or documented, and where it was
previously registered if known.
(F) The date of inclusion on the IUU vessel
list of the foreign vessel.
(G) Any other Unique Vessel Identifier
(UVI), if applicable.
(H) Any other identifying information on
the foreign vessel, as determined appropriate
by the Secretary.
(I) The basis for the Secretary's inclusion
of the foreign vessel on the IUU vessel list
under paragraph (2).
(d) Consequences of Being on Black List (IUU Vessel
List).--
(1) In general.--Except for the purposes of
inspection and enforcement or in case of force majeure,
a foreign vessel on the IUU vessel list is prohibited
from--
(A) accessing United States ports and using
port services;
(B) traveling through the United States
territorial sea unless it is conducting
innocent passage; and
(C) delivering or receiving supplies or
services, or transshipment, within waters
subject to the jurisdiction of the United
States, unless such prohibition would be
inconsistent with customary international law.
(2) Servicing prohibited.--No vessel of the United
States may service a foreign vessel that is on the IUU
vessel list, except in an emergency involving life and
safety or to facilitate enforcement.
(3) Imports prohibited.--The import of seafood or
seafood products caught, processed, or transported by
foreign vessels on the IUU vessel list is prohibited
and shall be subject to the enforcement provisions of
section 606.
(4) Fishing treaties and agreements.--It should be
a priority for United States delegations to--
(A) advocate for the incorporation of
articles in international fishery management
organizations providing identical or similar
safeguards described in this section in new and
updated bilateral or multilateral fishing
treaties; and
(B) encourage parties to international and
regional fisheries organizations that the
United States is party to, or holds observer
status, to take similar measures described in
this section.
(e) Enforcement of Black List (IUU Vessel List).--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph
(2), a foreign vessel on the IUU vessel list and the
cargo of such vessel shall be subject to seizure and
forfeiture to the United States in the same manner as
merchandise is forfeited for violation of the customs
revenue laws.
(2) Exception.--The cargo of seafood of a foreign
vessel on the IUU vessel list shall not be subject to
seizure and forfeiture to the United States if the
cargo of seafood is in the possession of an importer
who has paid for the cargo of seafood and did not know,
or did not have any reason to know, that the seafood
was the product of IUU fishing.
(f) Permanency of Black List (IUU Vessel List).--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraphs
(2) through (4), a foreign vessel, foreign fleet, or
beneficial owner of a foreign vessel or foreign fleet
that is put on the IUU vessel list shall remain on the
IUU vessel list.
(2) Revocation of wro.--The Secretary shall remove
a foreign vessel or foreign fleet from the IUU vessel
list if the foreign vessel was added to the IUU vessel
list because it was found by U.S. Customs and Border
Protection to have had a withhold release order or a
finding issued pursuant to section 307 of the Tariff
Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1307) and the withhold release
order was subsequently revoked.
(3) Application by owner for potential removal.--
(A) In general.--In consultation with the
Secretary of State and the U.S. Customs and
Border Protection, the Secretary may remove a
foreign vessel, foreign fleet, or beneficial
owner of a foreign vessel or foreign fleet from
the IUU vessel list if the beneficial owner of
the foreign vessel submits an application for
removal to the Secretary that meets the
standards that the Secretary has set out for
removal.
(B) Standards.--The Secretary shall include
in the standards set out for removal a
determination that the foreign vessel or
foreign vessel owner has not engaged in IUU
fishing or fishing that involves the use of
forced labor during the 5-year period preceding
the date of the application for removal. The
Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary
of State and the U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, shall determine whether each
application for removal demonstrates that
sufficient corrective action has been taken to
remediate the violations and infractions that
led to the inclusion on the IUU vessel list.
(C) Consideration of relevant
information.--In considering an application for
removal, the Secretary shall consider relevant
information from all sources.
(4) Removal due to international fishery management
organization action.--The Secretary may remove a
foreign vessel from the IUU vessel list if the foreign
vessel was put on the list because it was a foreign
vessel listed on an IUU vessel list of an international
fishery management organization, pursuant to subsection
(c)(2)(A), and the international fishery management
organization removed the foreign vessel from its IUU
vessel list.
(g) Regulations and Process.--Not later than 12 months
after the date of enactment of the Fighting Foreign Illegal
Seafood Harvests Act of 2025, the Secretary shall issue
regulations to set a process for establishing, maintaining,
implementing, and publishing the IUU vessel list. The
Administrator may add or remove a foreign vessel, foreign
fleet, or beneficial owner of a foreign vessel or foreign fleet
from the IUU vessel list on the date the foreign vessel becomes
eligible for such addition or removal.
(h) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--Unless otherwise provided, the
term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or the
designee of the Administrator.
(2) Beneficial owner.--The term ``beneficial
owner'' means, with respect to a vessel, a person that,
directly or indirectly, through any contract,
arrangement, understanding, relationship, or
otherwise--
(A) exercises substantial control over the
vessel; or
(B) owns not less than 50 percent of the
ownership interests in the vessel.
(3) Forced labor.--The term ``forced labor'' has
the meaning given that term in section 307 of the
Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1307).
(4) Foreign vessel.--The term ``foreign vessel''
has the meaning given the term in section 110 of title
46, United States Code.
(5) International fishery management
organization.--The term ``international fishery
management organization'' means an international
organization established by any bilateral or
multilateral treaty, convention, or agreement for the
conservation and management of fish.
(6) IUU fishing.--The term ``IUU fishing'' means
activities described as illegal fishing, unreported
fishing, or unregulated fishing in paragraph 3 of the
International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and
Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing,
adopted at the 24th Session of the Committee on
Fisheries in Rome on March 2, 2001.
(7) Seafood.--The term ``seafood'' means fish,
shellfish, processed fish, fish meal, shellfish
products, and all other forms of marine animal and
plant life other than marine mammals and birds.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Department of Commerce to carry out
this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through
2030.
(1) * * *
(2) * * *
(3) * * *
(4) * * *
* * * * * * *
MARITIME SAFE ACT
* * * * * * *
DIVISION C--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NATIONAL SECURITY AUTHORIZATIONS AND
OTHER AUTHORIZATIONS
* * * * * * *
TITLE XXXV--MARITIME MATTERS
* * * * * * *
Subtitle C--Maritime SAFE Act
* * * * * * *
PART II--ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON IUU FISHING
[16 U.S.C. 8031(c)]
SEC. 3551. INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON IUU FISHING.
(a) * * *
(b) * * *
(c) Responsibilities.--The Working Group shall ensure an
integrated, Federal Government-wide response to IUU fishing
globally, including by--
(1) improving the coordination of Federal agencies
to identify, interdict, investigate, prosecute, and
dismantle IUU fishing operations and organizations
perpetrating and knowingly benefitting from IUU
fishing;
(2) assessing areas for increased interagency
information sharing on matters related to IUU fishing
and related crimes;
(3) establishing standards for information sharing
related to maritime enforcement;
(4) maximizing the utility of the import data
collected by the members of the Working Group by
harmonizing data standards and entry fields;
(5) developing a strategy to determine how military
assets and intelligence can contribute to enforcement
strategies to combat IUU fishing;
(6) increasing maritime domain awareness relating
to IUU fishing and related crimes and developing a
strategy to leverage awareness for enhanced enforcement
and prosecution actions against IUU fishing;
(7) supporting the adoption and implementation of
the Port State Measures Agreement in relevant countries
and assessing the capacity and training needs in such
countries;
(8) outlining a strategy to coordinate, increase,
and use shiprider agreements between the Department of
Defense or the Coast Guard and relevant countries;
(9) enhancing cooperation with partner governments
to combat IUU fishing;
(10) identifying opportunities for increased
information sharing between Federal agencies and
partner governments working to combat IUU fishing;
(11) consulting and coordinating with the seafood
industry and nongovernmental stakeholders that work to
combat IUU fishing;
(12) supporting the work of collaborative
international initiatives to make available certified
data from state authorities about vessel and vessel-
related activities related to IUU fishing;
(13) supporting the identification and
certification procedures to address IUU fishing in
accordance with the High Seas Driftnet Fishing
Moratorium Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1826d et seq.);
[and]
(14) publishing annual reports summarizing
nonsensitive information about the Working Group's
efforts to investigate, enforce, and prosecute groups
and individuals engaging in IUU fishing[.];
(15) developing a strategy for leveraging
enforcement capacity against IUU fishing, particularly
focusing on nations identified under section 609(a) of
the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection
Act (16 U.S.C. 1826j(a)); and
(16) developing a strategy for leveraging
enforcement capacity against associated abuses, such as
fishing that involves the use of forced labor and other
illegal labor practices, and increasing enforcement and
other actions across relevant import control and
assessment programs, using as resources--
(A) the List of Goods Produced by Child
Labor or Forced Labor produced pursuant to
section 105 of the Trafficking Victims
Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 (22
U.S.C. 7112);
(B) the Trafficking in Persons Report
required under section 110 of the Trafficking
Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C.
7107);
(C) United States Customs and Border
Protection's Forced Labor Division and
enforcement activities and regulations
authorized under section 307 of the Tariff Act
of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1307); and
(D) reports submitted under the Uyghur
Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (22 U.S.C. 6901
note).
(d) The Impacts of IUU Fishing and Fishing Involving the
Use of Forced Labor.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator, in consultation
with relevant members of the Working Group, shall seek
to enter into an arrangement with the National
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under
which the National Academies will undertake a
multifaceted study that includes the following:
(A) An analysis that quantifies the
occurrence and extent of IUU fishing and
fishing involving the use of forced labor among
all flag states.
(B) An evaluation of the costs to the
United States economy of IUU fishing and
fishing involving the use of forced labor.
(C) An assessment of the costs to the
global economy of IUU fishing and fishing
involving the use of forced labor.
(D) An assessment of the effectiveness of
response strategies to counter IUU fishing,
including both domestic programs and foreign
capacity-building and partnering programs.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
subsection $4,000,000.
SEC. 3552. STRATEGIC PLAN.
(a) Strategic Plan.--Not later than 2 years after the date
of the enactment of this title, the Working Group, after
consultation with the relevant stakeholders, shall submit to
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate, the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, the
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives, the Committee on Natural Resources of the
House of Representatives, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of
the House of Representatives, and the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives a 5-year
integrated strategic plan on combating IUU fishing and
enhancing maritime security, including specific strategies with
monitoring benchmarks for addressing IUU fishing in priority
regions.
(b) Identification of Priority Regions and Priority Flag
States.--
(1) In general.--The strategic plan submitted under
subsection (a) shall identify priority regions and
priority flag states to be the focus of assistance
coordinated by the Working Group under section 3551.
(2) Priority region selection criteria.--In
selecting priority regions under paragraph (1), the
Working Group shall select regions that--
(A) are at high risk for IUU fishing
activity or the entry of illegally caught
seafood into their markets; and
(B) lack the capacity to fully address the
issues described in subparagraph (A).
(3) Priority flag states selection criteria.--In
selecting priority flag states under paragraph (1), the
Working Group shall select countries--
(A) the flagged vessels of which actively
engage in, knowingly profit from, or are
complicit in IUU fishing; and
(B) that lack the capacity to police their
fleet.
(c) Strategies To Optimize Data Collection, Sharing, and
Analysis.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment
of the Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025,
the Working Group shall identify information and resources to
prevent fish and fish products from IUU fishing and fishing
that involves the use of forced labor from entering United
States commerce without increasing burden or trade barriers on
seafood not produced from IUU fishing. The report shall include
the following:
(1) Identification of relevant data streams
collected by Working Group members.
(2) Identification of legal, jurisdictional, or
other barriers to the sharing of such data.
(3) In consultation with the Secretary of Defense,
recommendations for joint enforcement protocols,
collaboration, and information sharing between Federal
agencies and States.
(4) Recommendations for sharing and developing
forensic resources between Federal agencies and States.
(5) Recommendations for enhancing capacity for
United States Customs and Border Protection and
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to
conduct more effective field investigations and
enforcement efforts with U.S. state enforcement
officials.
(6) Recommendations for improving data collection
and automated risk-targeting of seafood imports within
the United States International Trade Data System and
Automated Commercial Environment.
(7) Recommendations for the dissemination of IUU
fishing and fishing that involves the use of forced
labor analysis and information to those governmental
and non-governmental entities that could use it for
action and awareness, with the aim to establish an IUU
fishing information sharing center.
(8) Recommendations for an implementation strategy,
including measures for ensuring that trade in seafood
not linked to IUU fishing and forced labor is not
impeded.
(9) An analysis of the IUU fishing policies and
regulatory regimes of other countries in order to
develop policy and regulatory alternatives for United
States consideration.
* * * * * * *
NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM ACT
* * * * * * *
TITLE II--NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM
* * * * * * *
[33 U.S.C. 1131(a)]
SEC. 212. [33 U.S.C. 1131] AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Authorization.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out [this
title--] this title $105,700,000 for each of fiscal
years 2026 through 2031.
[(A) $87,520,000 for fiscal year 2021;
[(B) $91,900,000 for fiscal year 2022;
[(C) $96,500,000 for fiscal year 2023;
[(D) $101,325,000 for fiscal year 2024; and
[(E) $105,700,000 for fiscal year 2025.]
(2) Priority activities [for fiscal years 2021
through 2025].--In addition to the amounts authorized
to be appropriated under paragraph (1), there are
authorized to be appropriated $6,000,000 for each of
[fiscal years 2021 through 2025] fiscal years 2026
through 2031 for competitive grants for the following:
(A) University research on the biology,
prevention, and control of aquatic nonnative
species.
(B) University research on oyster diseases,
oyster restoration, and oyster-related human
health risks.
(C) University research on the biology,
prevention, and forecasting of harmful algal
blooms.
(D) University research, education,
training, and extension services and activities
focused on coastal resilience and United States
working waterfronts and other regional or
national priority issues identified in the
strategic plan under section 204(c)(1).
(E) University research and extension on
sustainable aquaculture techniques and
technologies.
(F) Fishery research and extension
activities conducted by sea grant colleges or
sea grant institutes to enhance, and not
supplant, existing core program funding.
(b) * * *
(c) * * *
(d) * * *
[all]