Lawmakers in the U.S. Senate have reintroduced legislation designed to tackle the problem of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
“IUU fishing is rife with human rights abuses and is bad for maritime security, the global economy, and Virginia’s seafood industry,” U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Virginia), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee covering transnational criminal activity, said in a statement. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with my colleagues to deter IUU fishing by China and other bad actors and bolster the U.S. and international response to these illegal activities.”
The Protecting Global Fisheries Act would authorize the president to impose sanctions on foreign persons or vessels deemed complicit in IUU fishing or the sale, purchase, or transfer of an endangered species. The bill would also encourage collaboration with “friendly countries” and international forums to counter IUU fishing, and it would require regular briefings to Congress on how the Department of State and the Department of Defense are combating IUU fishing.
According to testimony provided to Congress by the U.S. Southern Command, IUU fishing in the Western Hemisphere – largely conducted by China’s distant-water fleet – results in USD 2.7 billion (EUR 2.4 billion) in lost revenue annually.
“Each year, the [People’s Republic of China] subsidizes a distant-water fishing fleet of about 200 to 600 vessels operating near the Galapagos and other coastal nations’ exclusive economic zones in South America, often engaging in IUU fishing practices. This fleet often exhibits concerning fishing behavior, with some vessels disabling AIS transponders,” General Laura Richardson told the House Armed Services Committee last year. “But, it’s not just financial cost at play; it’s opportunity cost. Our partners’ constrained maritime resources are being diverted away from fully engaging in other critical missions to take a leading role in combating these environmental and economic crimes.”
“China’s illegal fishing practices not only devastate marine ecosystems, but they also threaten the security of the United States and our partners while undercutting the hardworking men and women who fish legally and sustainably,” U.S. Senator John Curtis, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee covering transnational criminal activity, said in a statement. “This bipartisan bill is about restoring fairness and protecting the integrity of global fisheries.”
Lawmakers introduced a version of the Protecting Global Fisheries Act at the tail end of the last Congress; however, no action was taken on the bill before the Congress adjourned to make way for new legislators elected in November 2024.
In addition to the Protecting Global Fisheries Act, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) is continuing to push for the passage of the Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvest (FISH) Act, which would create a blacklist of vessels with a history of engaging in IUU fishing. Sullivan first introduced the legislation in 2022 and has continued advocating it in subsequent Congresses. In February, Sullivan again reintroduced the bill for lawmakers’ consideration.
