FISH Act of 2025
Rep. Crenshaw Introduces FISH Act to Blacklist Foreign Ships and Ban Illegal Seafood Imports
The FISH Act of 2025 is currently in the early stages of the legislative process. It is being reviewed by several House committees and recently had a subcommittee hearing. The bill is actively moving forward as it continues to be studied by lawmakers.
Legislative Progress
The bill has support from both parties but must pass through five different House committees, which is a very difficult path for any new law.
Key Points
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Foreign persons tied to illegal fishing or forced labor on fishing vessels could have their U.S. visas revoked and be permanently barred from entering the country. This applies to vessel operators, fleet owners, and officials of entities engaged in IUU fishing, as well as those who financially support such operations.
“A foreign person described in subsection (a) is-- (i) inadmissible to the United States; (ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and (iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into the United States”
Milestones
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Unanimous Consent.
The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
2 articlesUS senators lambast IUU fishing and abuse in foreign fleets during hearing
During a subcommittee hearing, senators highlighted the FISH Act of 2025 as a tool to crack down on IUU fishing and forced labor. The bill aims to restore consumer confidence by keeping illegally harvested seafood out of the U.S. market and raising costs for bad actors.
US Senate passes military funding bill with FISH Act attached
The Senate voted to attach the FISH Act to the annual military spending legislation. The bill requires the U.S. government to establish a blacklist of vessels involved in IUU activities and bans them from U.S. waters, while also mandating reports on Russian and Chinese fishing impacts.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
FISH Act of 2025
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(6)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.