Val T. Hoyle

Not analysed yet

A requested analysis is usually ready within half an hour; come back to this page or reload it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, or IUU fishing, threatens domestic fisheries and ecosystems around the world. In the United States, up to 32 percent of seafood imports are derived from IUU fishing. These illegal practices harm our economy, disadvantage fishermen, and threaten the long-term health of our oceans and fish stocks. Mr. Speaker, S. 283 would address one part of that challenge by investing in science to improve the detection of illegally sourced seafood. This bill would direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology and NOAA to develop a chemical analysis to identify the origin of seafood. If successful, this could assist law enforcement in identifying products from illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. This legislation specifically focuses on red snapper and several species of tuna, offering an opportunity to determine whether the chemical analysis research would apply to reef fish and migratory species. This is a practical, bipartisan piece of legislation that would strengthen our ability to identify seafood linked to IUU fishing and improve enforcement efforts. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 283, and I reserve the balance of my time.