Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 688
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Passed Senate
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-24: Held at the desk.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-11T21:11:39Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025 (FISH Act of 2025) aims to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing globally by focusing on prevention at its sources. It addresses IUU fishing's links to forced labor (work obtained through coercion or threats), human trafficking, and maritime security threats. The act promotes partnerships with foreign governments, civil society, international organizations, and the private sector to strengthen sustainable fisheries management and enforce international agreements, such as the Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries agreement.
Key Provisions
- IUU Vessel List (Section 4): Creates and maintains a public list of foreign vessels, fleets, and their beneficial owners (those with substantial control or at least 50% ownership) involved in IUU fishing or related activities. Inclusion criteria include vessels on international lists, those undermining conservation measures, or providing support to listed vessels. Nominations can come from U.S. agencies, allied countries, or approved civil organizations. Owners receive notification and can request hearings or apply for removal. The list is published annually in the Federal Register and updated online with details like vessel names, identifiers, and ownership info. Authorizes $10 million annually (2025–2030) for implementation. Existing denial-of-port-entry actions apply to listed entities.
- Visa Sanctions (Section 5): Owners or beneficial owners of listed IUU vessels are inadmissible to the U.S., ineligible for visas, and subject to visa revocation. Exceptions include national interest waivers by the President, intelligence/law enforcement activities, international obligations (e.g., UN headquarters agreements), crew safety provisions, and cases involving force or coercion on the owner.
- International Agreements and Encouragement (Section 6): Urges the President to negotiate trade or other agreements that counter IUU fishing and forced labor without compromising U.S. priorities. Encourages other nations to ratify key treaties like the High Seas Fishing Compliance Agreement and Port State Measures Agreement. Promotes bilateral/multilateral efforts through forums like the G7, G20, UN, ILO, and IMO to address IUU drivers, with emphasis on shared responsibilities. Non-binding instruments (e.g., memoranda of understanding) must be publicly disclosed.
- Enforcement Enhancements (Section 7): Directs the U.S. Coast Guard to increase high-seas observations and boardings of suspected IUU vessels. Requires coordination with regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs; international bodies for fishery conservation) to track corrective actions by flag states (countries where vessels are registered). Mandates a congressional report within 3 years on boarding incidents, bilateral agreements, and potential enforcement improvements.
- RFMO Improvements (Section 8): Expands the Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing to develop strategies against IUU and forced labor, leveraging resources like forced labor reports and customs enforcement. The Secretary of State must identify RFMOs lacking high-seas boarding programs and address implementation barriers.
- Data Strategies (Section 9): Requires the Working Group to develop strategies within 3 years for collecting, sharing, and analyzing data on IUU and forced labor in seafood, without burdening legitimate trade. Includes identifying data barriers, joint protocols with states, forensic tools, risk-targeting for imports, and an IUU information-sharing center. Also analyzes foreign IUU policies for U.S. adoption.
- Investment and Assistance (Section 10): Encourages the Departments of State and Commerce to boost technical aid, capacity-building, and investments in foreign fisheries for sustainability and anti-IUU efforts, prioritizing high-risk regions and flag states. The Working Group assesses U.S. expertise for public-private and multilateral collaborations in science, management, enforcement, and judicial training.
- Forced Labor Strategy (Section 11): Directs the Secretary of Commerce (via NOAA) to create and publicize a strategy using U.S. data to identify seafood from vessels using forced labor.
- Reports and Studies (Section 12):
- Within 1 year: Study on new technologies (e.g., drones, satellite tracking) to combat IUU and related crimes, with integration recommendations.
- Within 2 years: Study on Russian-Chinese fishing collaborations and reprocessing impacts on U.S. markets, including classified elements.
- Funds a National Academies study on global IUU/forced labor prevalence, economic costs, and response effectiveness ($2 million authorized). Report due within 24 months with findings and research gaps.
- Sea Grant Funding (Section 13): Extends authorizations for the National Sea Grant College Program (university-based marine research/extension) through fiscal years 2025–2031.
- Exceptions and Construction (Sections 14–15): Explicitly prohibits using the act to impose import sanctions on goods (defined broadly as articles or products, excluding technical data). Does not limit or alter pre-existing laws.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1826i) to replace outdated subsections on IUU lists with a comprehensive, permanent framework including beneficial owners and support vessels.
- Expands the Maritime SAFE Act's Interagency Working Group (16 U.S.C. 8031–8032) by adding duties on enforcement strategies, data optimization, and a National Academies study on IUU impacts.
- Updates the National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1131) to extend funding timelines.
- Integrates forced labor considerations (drawing from the Tariff Act of 1930) into fisheries policy without creating new import bans.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases workload for NOAA (list maintenance, strategies), Coast Guard (boardings, reports), State Department (diplomacy, identifications), and interagency groups. Authorizes new funding for implementation and research, potentially enhancing enforcement coordination but requiring regulatory development within 12 months.
- Citizens and U.S. Economy: Improves seafood supply chain transparency and sustainability, potentially reducing economic losses from IUU (estimated via studies). No direct import restrictions, so minimal immediate price effects on consumers, but supports legitimate U.S. fishing industries against unfair competition.
- International Relations: Strengthens U.S. leadership in global fisheries through partnerships and technical aid, but visa sanctions and vessel listings could strain ties with nations hosting IUU fleets (e.g., high-risk flag states). Encourages treaty ratifications and multilateral efforts, fostering cooperation in forums like RFMOs while addressing human rights in fishing.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. Government Agencies: NOAA, Coast Guard, Departments of Commerce, State, Homeland Security, and Labor; Interagency Working Group.
- Foreign Entities: Vessel owners, beneficial owners, and flag states involved in IUU fishing; subject to listings, sanctions, and diplomatic pressure.
- International Organizations: RFMOs, UN, ILO, IMO; gain from U.S. advocacy for boarding programs and data sharing.
- Industry and Communities: Commercial/recreational fishers, artisanal/subsistence communities, seafood processors/importers; benefit from anti-IUU measures but face enhanced scrutiny. Civil society and private sector partners in capacity-building.
- Researchers and Academia: National Sea Grant and National Academies; receive funding for studies on technology, economics, and IUU prevalence.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Establishes due process for list inclusions (notifications, hearings) to avoid arbitrary actions, aligning with administrative law standards. Visa sanctions invoke immigration powers under the Immigration and Nationality Act but include waivers/exceptions to balance enforcement with diplomacy and human rights (e.g., coerced owners). Explicitly avoids trade sanctions, preserving separation from customs laws like forced labor import bans.
- Constitutional: Relies on commerce, foreign affairs, and immigration clauses; potential challenges if sanctions are seen as overreach, but exceptions mitigate free travel concerns. Public transparency requirements (e.g., list publication) support accountability under the Administrative Procedure Act.
- Political: Positions the U.S. as a global enforcer against IUU and forced labor, appealing to environmental/human rights advocates, but may provoke backlash from fishing-dependent nations (e.g., China/Russia studies highlight geopolitical tensions). Bipartisan focus on sustainability could build international alliances, though implementation depends on appropriations and regulatory timelines.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (9)
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI], Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK], Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS], Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE], Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE], Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA], Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS]
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-24: Held at the desk.
- 2026-03-24: Received in the House.
- 2026-03-24: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- 2026-03-22: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S1500-1503)
- 2026-03-22: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- 2026-03-22: The committee amendment withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
- 2026-03-22: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S1496-1503)
- 2026-02-03: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 313.
- 2026-02-03: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment. With written report No. 119-101.
- 2026-02-03: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment. With written report No. 119-101.
- 2025-04-30: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
- 2025-02-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 2025-02-24: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025 — issued 2026-03-22 — PDF (30 pages)
- Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025 — issued 2025-02-24 — PDF (35 pages)
- Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025 — issued 2026-02-03 — PDF (36 pages)