New Senate Bill Could Lead to Sanctions for Illegal Fishing
Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., introduced a bill Dec. 17 to authorize the president to sanction foreign persons and vessels involved in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
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IUU fishing includes activities that violate national or international fishing law, such as fishing without a license for certain species, failing to report catches or making false reports, using prohibited fishing gear, or conducting unauthorized transfers of fish to cargo vessels, a Kaine press release says.
The release says illegal fishing is a growing problem worldwide that harms maritime conservation and creates unfair competition for those who abide by fishing laws. Kaine called China “a particularly egregious perpetrator of IUU fishing violations.”
The bill was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.