CRS Says SIMP Expansion Could Help Fight Illegal and Unregulated Fishing
Given the depletion of fish in the ocean, and estimates that about 11% of U.S. seafood imports resulted from illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, a recent Congressional Research Service report said Congress may want to strengthen legislation tackling the issue.
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The report said the Seafood Import Monitoring Program could be expanded to cover all species that are imported. "Congress may also consider increasing customs enforcement at the border and whether greater resources are needed to fully account for the seafood entering the country. Increased efforts to trace seafood may also serve several other purposes, such as improving seafood safety, stopping seafood fraud, and identifying seafood production related to human trafficking," the authors said.
They also said the U.S. might help developing countries improve vessel monitoring, develop fishing management and enforce those catch limits.
"Congress may also consider whether the Moratorium Protection Act provides an adequate means to identify and sanction vessels, companies, or countries that participate or condone IUU activities, or if such efforts could be strengthened," the report said. It said Congress could also consider whether the MPA should cover forced labor on vessels, or whether that should continue to be tackled by the ban on imported goods produced with forced labor.
China is the leading country responsible for IUU fishing, the report said, but it also noted that China has been cooperating on negotiations to curtail subsidies to the fishing industry at the World Trade Organization. If those operations became less profitable, some overfishing might end, the report said.