Bill > S688

This bill, the Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025 (or FISH Act of 2025), aims to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing globally by establishing a comprehensive IUU vessel list that will include foreign vessels, fleets, and their beneficial owners (individuals or entities with substantial control or at least 50% ownership) engaged in IUU fishing or supporting activities. The bill defines key terms such as "fish," "forced labor," and "seafood," and outlines a policy to partner with various stakeholders to prevent IUU fishing at its sources, with a particular focus on potential links to forced labor and human trafficking. The Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with other agencies, will maintain and publicly share this IUU vessel list, which can include vessels listed by international fishery management organizations, those undermining conservation measures, or those identified by U.S. authorities as engaged in IUU fishing. Foreign individuals or entities found on this list will be inadmissible to the United States and ineligible for visas, though waivers may be granted in the national interest, and certain exceptions exist for intelligence, law enforcement, international obligations, and vessel/crew safety. The bill also encourages international agreements to strengthen efforts against IUU fishing and associated abuses, promotes increased boarding of suspected IUU vessels by the Coast Guard, and mandates reports on enforcement actions and the impact of new technologies. Furthermore, it aims to improve data collection and sharing related to IUU fishing and forced labor, increase support for technical assistance to nations for sustainable fisheries management, and develop strategies to identify seafood harvested using forced labor, all while clarifying that the act does not impose sanctions on the importation of goods.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/688/all-info