FISH Act of 2025

The Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests (FISH) Act of 2025 aims to significantly strengthen the United States' efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and its links to forced labor and human trafficking worldwide. The bill establishes a clear policy for the U.S. to partner with foreign governments, civil society, and international organizations to prevent IUU fishing at its sources. A central provision of the Act is the creation of a public IUU Vessel List , or blacklist, maintained by the Secretary of Commerce in coordination with other agencies. This list will include foreign vessels, fleets, and their beneficial owners found to be engaged in IUU fishing or related activities, including those undermining international fishery management organizations or using forced labor. Criteria for inclusion are broad, encompassing vessels listed by international bodies, those operating inconsistently with conservation measures, or those subject to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) withhold release orders or Treasury Department sanctions. Vessels placed on the IUU Vessel List will face severe consequences, including prohibitions from accessing U.S. ports and services, transiting U.S. territorial seas (except for innocent passage), and receiving supplies in U.S. waters. Furthermore, the import of seafood caught, processed, or transported by listed vessels is strictly prohibited. The bill also mandates that U.S. delegations advocate for similar safeguards in international fishing treaties and encourages other nations to adopt comparable measures. Beyond the blacklist, the Act grants the Secretary of the Treasury authority to impose sanctions on foreign persons or entities involved in IUU fishing, trade of endangered species, or supporting such activities. These sanctions can include the blocking of property within U.S. jurisdiction and rendering individuals ineligible for U.S. visas or admission. Exceptions are provided for national interest waivers, intelligence activities, international obligations, safety of crew, and humanitarian aid. The legislation also emphasizes enhancing international cooperation and enforcement. It encourages the President to consider IUU fishing and forced labor impacts in international agreements and urges the Federal Government to promote the ratification of key treaties like the Port State Measures Agreement. The Coast Guard is directed to increase observation and boarding of suspected IUU vessels on the high seas, while the Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing will develop strategies to leverage enforcement capacity against associated abuses, including forced labor, utilizing various U.S. government data sources. To optimize effectiveness, the bill mandates strategies for improved data collection, sharing, and analysis among federal agencies and states, aiming to prevent IUU and forced labor seafood from entering U.S. commerce without impeding legitimate trade. It also encourages increased investment and technical assistance to nations' fisheries sectors for sustainable management and combating IUU fishing. Finally, the Act requires several studies and reports, including assessments of new technology impacts on IUU fishing, the influence of Russian and Chinese fishing industries, and the economic costs of IUU fishing and forced labor to the U.S. and global economies.