The FISH Act of 2025 establishes a comprehensive federal strategy to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing worldwide by creating a "blacklist" of foreign fishing vessels engaged in such activities and imposing strict sanctions on violators. The Secretary of Commerce will maintain a publicly available list of offending vessels, which face port bans, import restrictions on their catch, and inability to receive services from U.S. vessels, while foreign entities involved in IUU fishing—including those using forced labor—face asset freezes, visa denials, and other economic penalties. The bill requires the Coast Guard to increase inspections of suspected IUU vessels and report to Congress within three years on enforcement efforts, while federal agencies must develop data-sharing strategies and provide technical assistance to foreign fisheries to prevent illegal fishing at its source. The legislation authorizes $4 million for the National Academies to study the economic impact of IUU fishing and evaluate existing counter-measures. Together, these provisions aim to address illegal fishing, human trafficking, and forced labor in the seafood industry through coordinated U.S. government action and international cooperation.
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