Legislation to keep illegal foreign seafood from entering U.S. ports and waters has passed the U.S. Senate, and now awaits similar action on a companion bill before the U.S. House.
The Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvest (FISH) Act takes a strong stand against foreign illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by blacklisting offending vessels, bolstering the U.S. Coast guard’s enforcement capabilities and partnerships and advancing international and bilateral negotiations to achieve enforceable agreements and treaties.
The bill was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and Sheldon Whitehouse, D- R.I. and co-sponsored by eight other senators, including Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.
In the House, the bill was introduced by Rep. Nick Begich, R-Alaska, Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., and Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas.
The legislation also has the support of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers, United Fishermen of Alaska, Silver Bay Seafoods, Oceana, National Fisheries Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Key provisions of the FISH Act include directing NOAA to establish a blacklist of foreign vessels and owners who have engaged in IUU fishing and directing the U.S. Coast Guard to increase its work with partner countries and increase at-sea inspection of foreign vessels suspected of IUU fishing.
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