Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act

S. 283, the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act, passed the Senate and is now being considered by the House. The bill would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), working with Customs and Border Protection, to develop a standardized method for identifying the country of origin of seafood. This would help enforce laws against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing practices.

The bill specifically focuses on red snapper and tuna species, which are frequently targeted by illegal fishing operations. The agencies would need to create a portable field kit using chemical analysis that law enforcement can use to test whether seafood—including prepared dishes like sushi and ceviche—comes from legal or illegal sources. The methodology would need to work quickly and be easy for a single person to operate.

Within two years of enactment, the agencies would submit a report to Congress describing the methodology they developed, how they plan to implement it, and any challenges they encountered. The bill also authorizes the Department of Defense to provide technical assistance to other countries to help them combat illegal fishing. The Senate committee estimated the bill would have minimal economic impact and would not significantly increase paperwork or regulatory burden on businesses.