[119th Congress Public Law 123]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 140 STAT. 1072]]

Public Law 119-123
119th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology 
and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin 
   of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and 
     unregulated fishing, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Oct. 15, 
                           2026 -  [S. 283]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Illegal Red 
Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act. 16 USC 1885 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna 
Enforcement Act''.
SEC. 2. METHODOLOGY FOR IDENTIFYING COUNTRY OF ORIGIN OF SEAFOOD.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.
            (2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
        ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, 
                the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 
                the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (3) Illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing; iuu 
        fishing.--The terms ``illegal, unreported, or unregulated 
        fishing'' and ``IUU fishing'' mean ``illegal, unreported, or 
        unregulated fishing'' as such term is defined for purposes of 
        section 609(e) of the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium 
        Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1826j(e)).
            (4) Key agency leadership.--The term ``key agency 
        leadership'' means the Administrator and the Under Secretary, in 
        consultation with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border 
        Protection and the Commandant of the Coast Guard.
            (5) Red snapper.--The term ``red snapper'' means the species 
        Lutjanus campechanus.
            (6) Tuna.--The term ``tuna'' means the following species of 
        tuna:
                    (A) Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus).
                    (B) Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares).
                    (C) Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus).

[[Page 140 STAT. 1073]]

            (7) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means the 
        Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology.

    (b) Standard Methodology for Identification.--
            (1) In general.--Key agency leadership shall jointly develop 
        a standard methodology, based on chemical analysis, for 
        identifying the country of origin of seafood to support 
        enforcement against IUU fishing and seafood fraud.
            (2) Requirements.--Key agency leadership shall ensure that 
        the methodology developed under this subsection--
                    (A) is consistent with the needs of Federal and 
                State law enforcement agencies in combating IUU fishing 
                and seafood fraud;
                    (B) minimizes processing time;
                    (C) involves the use of a field kit that can be 
                easily carried by one individual; and
                    (D) to the extent practicable, can be used to test 
                prepared food, including raw preparations of seafood, 
                such as ceviche, sashimi, sushi, and poke.
            (3) Initial species for identification.--In developing the 
        methodology under this subsection, key agency leadership shall 
        conduct pilot studies on red snapper, as an example of a 
        stationary stock, and tuna, as an example of a highly migratory 
        stock.

    (c) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Under Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report that includes the following:
            (1) A summary of the methodology developed under subsection 
        (b).
            (2) A plan for operationalizing such methodology.
            (3) <<NOTE: Determination.>>  If the Under Secretary 
        determines any aspect of such methodology is impractical, an 
        explanation relating thereto, whether additional research would 
        make developing such a methodology practicable, and whether a 
        different approach other than chemical analysis might be 
        practicable.

    Approved October 15, 2026.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 283:
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SENATE REPORTS: No. 119-24 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
                                                        Vol. 171 (2025):
                                    July 14, considered and passed 
                                        Senate.
                                                        Vol. 172 (2026):
                                    Sept. 14, considered and passed 
                                        House, amended.
                                    Sept. 24, Senate concurred in House 
                                        amendment.

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