The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) decision to withdraw a proposed rule that could have strengthened the ability of the United States to take action against nations that fail to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing or forced labour on fishing vessels has been criticised by ocean conservation organisation Oceana.
Oceana explained that the rule was initially proposed in 2016, but that NOAA has claimed it still did not have sufficient time to finalise it.
In response to NOAA’s announcement, Oceana Campaign Director Dr Max Valentine released the following statement: “After dragging its feet for years, NOAA failed to finalise a new rule that would have strengthened the United States’ ability to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and recognised the link between IUU fishing and forced labour.”
Valentine continued: “Taking action on IUU fishing helps to level the playing field for US fishers and seafood businesses. The International Trade Commission estimated that in 2019 alone, the US imported more than $2.4 billion worth of IUU seafood. This rule would have ensured that the United States could take strong action against other countries engaged in IUU fishing and that ignore human rights abuses in their fleets. Oceana encourages President Trump and his administration to put this rule back on the table to help ensure that all seafood sold in the US is safe, legally caught, and honestly labelled.”
US government formally established the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) in 2016, requiring catch documentation and traceability for some seafood at risk of illegal fishing and seafood fraud. Currently, this applies to just 13 types of imported seafood and only traces them from the boat to the US border.
According to a 2022 Oceana report, gaps in SIMP are allowing US seafood demand to drive IUU fishing around the world.
Meanwhile, Oceana released the results of a nationwide poll in 2024, which found that Americans support transparency and traceability in the seafood supply chain. Among the findings, 90% agreed that imported seafood should be held to the same standards as US caught seafood. Additionally, 91% agreed that seafood caught using human trafficking and forced labour should not be bought or sold in the US, while 85% agreed that all seafood should be traceable from the fishing boat to the dinner plate, and 88% said consumers should be reassured that the seafood they purchase was legally caught.
