The Standards for Understanding Source and Habitat Identification Act requires federal agencies to develop a standardized method for determining where seafood comes from using chemical analysis, with the goal of catching illegal and unreported fishing operations. The Commerce Department's Under Secretary for Standards and Technology and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will lead this effort in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Coast Guard. The methodology must be practical for law enforcement use—fitting in a portable field kit, minimizing testing time, and ideally working on prepared seafood like sushi and ceviche—with the agencies starting with pilot studies on red snapper and tuna. Within two years of the bill becoming law, the Under Secretary must report to Congress on the methodology developed, how it will be put into practice, and any challenges encountered. This legislation aims to give enforcement agencies better tools to combat illegal fishing and ensure seafood sold in the United States comes from legitimate sources.
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