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High Impact

The FISH Act of 2025: Combating Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor

Original title: Text of Senate Amendment 6128

June 24, 2026

fishingmaritime securityforced laborinternational tradesanctionsenvironmental policy

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The Frame

What this does

This legislation would establish a federal blacklist of foreign fishing vessels linked to illegal practices, potentially barring their owners from entering the United States and increasing federal oversight of seafood imports.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Foreign vessel owners

Owners of vessels placed on the IUU list face potential visa sanctions and loss of U.S. entry privileges.

Department of Commerce

The agency is tasked with developing the IUU vessel list and managing $10 million in annual appropriations.

Coast Guard

The agency is directed to increase high-seas boarding and inspection activities for suspected vessels.

What changed

Last recorded activity June 24, 2026.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The FISH Act of 2025 proposes new federal measures to identify and sanction foreign vessels and owners involved in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and forced labor. The bill mandates the creation of a public 'IUU vessel list,' imposes visa sanctions on identified offenders, and authorizes $10 million annually for enforcement and research.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if a vessel is placed on the IUU list?
The vessel's owner or may face visa sanctions, including ineligibility for U.S. entry and revocation of existing visas, unless a national interest waiver is granted.
Can a vessel be removed from the IUU list?
Yes, the Secretary of Commerce may remove a vessel if the owner submits an application meeting public standards, or if an international fishery management organization removes the vessel from its own list.
Does this bill allow the government to block seafood imports?
No, the bill explicitly states that it does not provide authority to impose sanctions on the importation of goods.

Why It Matters

This legislation would establish a federal blacklist of foreign fishing vessels linked to illegal practices, potentially barring their owners from entering the United States and increasing federal oversight of seafood imports.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Expansion of Maritime SAFE Act

The amendment significantly expands the scope of the Maritime SAFE Act by integrating forced labor and human trafficking enforcement into existing IUU fishing frameworks.

Maritime SAFE Act

Connected Entities

organizationNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration“Primary agency responsible for implementing the IUU vessel list and enforcement.”Map →
personMr. Sullivan“U.S. Senator who submitted the amendment.”Map →
organizationCoast Guard“Tasked with increasing high-seas boarding and inspection of suspected vessels.”Map →
organizationDepartment of Commerce“Agency authorized to receive $10 million annually for enforcement.”Map →
organizationNational Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine“Tasked with conducting a study on the economic impacts of IUU fishing.”Map →
personMr. Whitehouse“U.S. Senator who co-sponsored the amendment.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

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