U.S. Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) on May 11 introduced a bipartisan bill to end foreign Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing, which he says is negatively impacting America’s fisheries, particularly in his home state of Louisiana.
“Generations of Louisiana’s fishing families have made our state one of the top seafood producers in the country. The combination of great chefs and our seafood has resulted in Louisiana being a foodie destination,” Rep. Graves said. “However, hurricanes, government regulations, the pandemic and unfair competition from foreign fishing fleets are threatening the future of these hard-working men and women and threatening the sustainability of fisheries around the globe.
“It has evolved from an environmental issue to an economic issue to a national security issue,” he said.
The Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act, H.R. 3075, which Rep. Graves introduced with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA), would establish monitoring and detection programs to identify and prevent IUU fisheries from unfair competition with United States domestic fishing boats, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Graves’ office.
Rep. Graves thanked Congressman Huffman for his leadership on the IUU issue. “His partnership on this bill will help ensure America’s fishers have a fighting chance and our children and grandchildren have fish to catch.”
If enacted, H.R. 3075 would expand the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) to all species and increase data requirements for SIMP; establish seafood traceability and labelling requirements; and update the responsibilities of the IUU Interagency Working Group, the summary says.
Additionally, the bill would bolster international fisheries management, including expanding U.S. authority to revoke port privileges for fishing vessels associated with IUU fishing and expanding IUU determination criteria to include human trafficking, forced labor and other labor rights violations.
The measure also would authorize funding for new Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) on vessels, and amend requirements for where AIS must be used by U.S. vessels in federal waters and on the high seas, according to the congressman’s summary.
The Southern Shrimp Alliance, the American Shrimp Processors Association, the Blue Water Fishermen’s Association, and the Recreational Fishing Alliance endorsed the measure.