Sponsors (10)
Introduced February 24, 2025 by Daniel Scott Sullivan · Last progress March 24, 2026
The bill strengthens U.S. detection, enforcement, and international cooperation to curb IUU fishing and forced labor—benefiting fish stocks, lawful fishers, and consumers—but does so with new spending, compliance costs, privacy and due‑process risks, and potential diplomatic and operational tradeoffs.
Coastal and commercial fishers, U.S. seafood consumers, and coastal communities will see reduced illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and forced-labor-tainted product in supply chains, helping protect fish stocks, legal catches, and livelihoods.
Federal, state, and local enforcement agencies and policymakers will get better data, interagency coordination, and enforcement tools (including forensic resources and working-group strategies), enabling more targeted detection, interdiction, and prevention of IUU fishing and forced labor.
Researchers, universities, and coastal-planning partners gain stable funding and studies (Sea Grant authorizations and a National Academies study), supporting science, extension, and multi-year projects for coastal resilience and better policy decisions.
U.S. taxpayers face increased federal spending commitments (authorized research, Sea Grant authorizations, vessel-list implementation funding, expanded patrols and enforcement), which could raise budgetary pressure or require offsets.
Seafood importers, processors, and consumers could face higher compliance costs, more detained shipments, and disrupted supply chains — potentially raising seafood prices and imposing burdens on small businesses that rely on imported seafood.
Public listing, data-sharing, automated risk-targeting, and mandatory visa revocations create privacy, reputational, and rights risks (including wrongful listing and immediate travel bans) for vessel owners and related businesses until disputes are resolved.
Based on analysis of 30 sections of legislative text.
Expands U.S. detection, listing, enforcement, studies, and coordination to deter IUU and forced‑labor fishing, including a public IUU vessel list and immigration consequences for listed owners.
Creates a broad U.S. strategy to identify, study, and deter illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and fishing involving forced labor by expanding interagency coordination, data-driven risk targeting, Coast Guard activity, and international engagement. It requires new analyses and National Academies research, directs NOAA to maintain a public IUU vessel list (including owners and fleets) with immigration penalties for listed owners, extends Sea Grant authorizations, and funds related studies and reporting timelines over the next 1–3 years.