Stop Illegal Fishing Act

Summary

Requires the President to establish a sanctions program that targets foreign persons and vessels engaged in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. It directs asset-blocking under IEEPA and immigration/visa penalties for covered aliens, mandates reporting to Congress, and includes limited statutory exceptions. Also expresses congressional judgment that IUU fishing harms fisheries, marine ecosystems, labor conditions, coastal economies, and U.S. maritime security and identifies the People’s Republic of China as a primary global actor in IUU fishing.

• Creates a presidential sanctions program targeting foreign persons and vessels engaged in IUU fishing.
• Authorizes asset-blocking using IEEPA and immigration/visa penalties (inadmissibility, visa revocation, and ineligibility for entry).
• Specifically identifies owners, captains/senior crew, operators, and senior managers of IUU fishing entities as potential targets.
• Requires the President to submit an initial implementation report within 180 days and annual reports for five years listing sanctioned parties.
• Includes four statutory exceptions where sanctions do not apply; text limits the scope of exclusions.
• Contains a Sense of Congress that calls out IUU fishing harms and names the People’s Republic of China as the primary global actor in IUU fishing.
• Invokes IEEPA authorities expressly to ensure blocking actions can be taken in this context.
• Enforcement responsibilities involve State, DHS (including consular officers), and other executive agencies; visa revocations take effect immediately upon designation.