Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act

Bill: 119-s-283
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
Introduced: 2025-01-28
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Fishes

Food supply, safety, and labeling

Marine and coastal resources, fisheries

Seafood
Latest action: action_date: 2025-07-15
text: Held at the desk.

Summaries:

tv_txt: 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 283 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES AN ACT To require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act . 2. Methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Administrator The term Administrator means the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2) Appropriate committees of Congress The term appropriate committees of Congress means— (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and (B) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives. (3) Key agency leadership The term key agency leadership means the Administrator and the Under Secretary in consultation with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Commandant of the Coast Guard. (4) Red snapper The term red snapper means the species Lutjanus campechanus. (5) Tuna The term tuna means the following species of tuna: (A) Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus). (B) Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares). (C) Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). (6) Under Secretary The term Under Secretary means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. (b) Standard methodology for identification (1) In general Key agency leadership shall, in accordance with this section, jointly develop a standard methodology, based on chemical analysis, for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. (2) Requirements Key agency leadership shall ensure that the methodology developed under this subsection— (A) is consistent with the needs of Federal and State law enforcement agencies in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; (B) minimizes processing time; (C) involves the use of a field kit that can be easily carried by one individual; and (D) to the extent practicable, can be used to test prepared food, including raw preparations of seafood such as ceviche, sashimi, sushi, and poke. (3) Initial species for identification In developing the methodology under this subsection, key agency leadership shall conduct pilot studies on red snapper, as an example of a stationary stock, and tuna, as an example of a highly migratory stock. (c) Report Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes the following: (1) A summary of the methodology developed under subsection (b). (2) A plan for operationalizing the methodology developed under subsection (b). (3) In the event that any aspect of the methodology developed under subsection (b) is impracticable, an explanation of why, whether additional research would make developing such a methodology practicable, and whether a different approach other than chemical analysis might be practicable. 3. Technical assistance for IUU fishing enforcement (a) In general The Secretary of Defense is authorized to, in coordination with the United States Coast Guard, expend funds appropriated for the Department of Defense for operation and maintenance to provide maritime technical assistance to maritime forces from other nations in efforts to combat illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing (commonly known as IUU fishing ) and other transnational organized crime. Such technical assistance may include providing observers, shipriders, and specialized personnel to deploy with such maritime forces, in addition to remote sensing, analysis of data, and operational intelligence, as appropriate and consistent with United States law and policy. (b) Application of authority The authority provided under subsection (a) shall apply to the use of the United States Coast Guard members deployed to and operating aboard Department of Defense, partner nation, or international partner platforms, as well as partner nation personnel operating aboard United States military and Coast Guard assets or international partner vessels, as appropriate.

Passed the Senate July 14, 2025. Secretary

tv_txt: II Calendar No. 86 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 283 [Report No. 119–24] IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 28, 2025 Mr. Cruz (for himself, Mr. Schatz , Mrs. Britt , and Mr. Tuberville ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation May 21, 2025 Reported by Mr. Cruz , without amendment A BILL To require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act . 2. Methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Administrator The term Administrator means the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2) Appropriate committees of Congress The term appropriate committees of Congress means— (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and (B) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives. (3) Key agency leadership The term key agency leadership means the Administrator and the Under Secretary in consultation with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Commandant of the Coast Guard. (4) Red snapper The term red snapper means the species Lutjanus campechanus. (5) Tuna The term tuna means the following species of tuna: (A) Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus). (B) Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares). (C) Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). (6) Under Secretary The term Under Secretary means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. (b) Standard methodology for identification (1) In general Key agency leadership shall, in accordance with this section, jointly develop a standard methodology, based on chemical analysis, for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. (2) Requirements Key agency leadership shall ensure that the methodology developed under this subsection— (A) is consistent with the needs of Federal and State law enforcement agencies in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; (B) minimizes processing time; (C) involves the use of a field kit that can be easily carried by one individual; and (D) to the extent practicable, can be used to test prepared food, including raw preparations of seafood such as ceviche, sashimi, sushi, and poke. (3) Initial species for identification In developing the methodology under this subsection, key agency leadership shall conduct pilot studies on red snapper, as an example of a stationary stock, and tuna, as an example of a highly migratory stock. (c) Report Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes the following: (1) A summary of the methodology developed under subsection (b). (2) A plan for operationalizing the methodology developed under subsection (b). (3) In the event that any aspect of the methodology developed under subsection (b) is impracticable, an explanation of why, whether additional research would make developing such a methodology practicable, and whether a different approach other than chemical analysis might be practicable. 3. Technical assistance for IUU fishing enforcement (a) In general The Secretary of Defense is authorized to, in coordination with the United States Coast Guard, expend funds appropriated for the Department of Defense for operation and maintenance to provide maritime technical assistance to maritime forces from other nations in efforts to combat illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing (commonly known as IUU fishing ) and other transnational organized crime. Such technical assistance may include providing observers, shipriders, and specialized personnel to deploy with such maritime forces, in addition to remote sensing, analysis of data, and operational intelligence, as appropriate and consistent with United States law and policy. (b) Application of authority The authority provided under subsection (a) shall apply to the use of the United States Coast Guard members deployed to and operating aboard Department of Defense, partner nation, or international partner platforms, as well as partner nation personnel operating aboard United States military and Coast Guard assets or international partner vessels, as appropriate.

May 21, 2025 Reported without amendment

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 283 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 28, 2025 Mr. Cruz (for himself, Mr. Schatz , Mrs. Britt , and Mr. Tuberville ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act . 2. Methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Administrator The term Administrator means the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2) Appropriate committees of Congress The term appropriate committees of Congress means— (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and (B) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives. (3) Key agency leadership The term key agency leadership means the Administrator and the Under Secretary in consultation with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Commandant of the Coast Guard. (4) Red snapper The term red snapper means the species Lutjanus campechanus. (5) Tuna The term tuna means the following species of tuna: (A) Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus). (B) Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares). (C) Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). (6) Under Secretary The term Under Secretary means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. (b) Standard methodology for identification (1) In general Key agency leadership shall, in accordance with this section, jointly develop a standard methodology, based on chemical analysis, for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. (2) Requirements Key agency leadership shall ensure that the methodology developed under this subsection— (A) is consistent with the needs of Federal and State law enforcement agencies in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; (B) minimizes processing time; (C) involves the use of a field kit that can be easily carried by one individual; and (D) to the extent practicable, can be used to test prepared food, including raw preparations of seafood such as ceviche, sashimi, sushi, and poke. (3) Initial species for identification In developing the methodology under this subsection, key agency leadership shall conduct pilot studies on red snapper, as an example of a stationary stock, and tuna, as an example of a highly migratory stock. (c) Report Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes the following: (1) A summary of the methodology developed under subsection (b). (2) A plan for operationalizing the methodology developed under subsection (b). (3) In the event that any aspect of the methodology developed under subsection (b) is impracticable, an explanation of why, whether additional research would make developing such a methodology practicable, and whether a different approach other than chemical analysis might be practicable. 3. Technical assistance for IUU fishing enforcement (a) In general The Secretary of Defense is authorized to, in coordination with the United States Coast Guard, expend funds appropriated for the Department of Defense for operation and maintenance to provide maritime technical assistance to maritime forces from other nations in efforts to combat illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing (commonly known as IUU fishing ) and other transnational organized crime. Such technical assistance may include providing observers, shipriders, and specialized personnel to deploy with such maritime forces, in addition to remote sensing, analysis of data, and operational intelligence, as appropriate and consistent with United States law and policy. (b) Application of authority The authority provided under subsection (a) shall apply to the use of the United States Coast Guard members deployed to and operating aboard Department of Defense, partner nation, or international partner platforms, as well as partner nation personnel operating aboard United States military and Coast Guard assets or international partner vessels, as appropriate.