United States 119th Congress Status: Passed Senate Bipartisan · 4 R · 1 D cosponsors

S 283 — Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act

Last action — Held at the desk.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced January 28, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Advancing 52% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Moderate

How often bills like it became law.

  • Passed Senate

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 5 sponsors

    1 primary, 4 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (4 R · 1 D) — cross-party backing.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement ActThis bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to jointly develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing). It also authorizes technical assistance to other countries to help combat IUU fishing and transnational organized crime. NOAA and NIST must consult with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Coast Guard in developing the methodology, which must use chemical analysis to identify the country of origin of seafood. The methodology must be consistent with the needs of federal and state law enforcement agencies in combating IUU fishing. The methodology must also include a portable field kit and, to the extent practicable, be appropriate for testing prepared food (including raw preparations of seafood such as sushi). The agencies must conduct pilot studies of the methodology on red snapper and tuna.Within two years after the bill's enactment, NIST must report to Congress regarding the methodology and a plan for operationalizing it. The report must explain any aspects of its methodology that are impracticable, whether additional research would make the methodology practicable, and whether an alternate approach might be practicable. The bill also authorizes the Department of Defense to use operation and maintenance funds to provide technical assistance to maritime forces of other countries to help combat IUU fishing and transnational organized crime (e.g., by providing observers or data analysis).

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

43 added · 59 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to the bill includes a clearer definition of "illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing" by referencing the existing definition from the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act. It also adjusts the terms and specifics regarding agency leadership, dropping the inclusion of the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology from the definition of "key agency leadership." This matters because it focuses the bill on specific definitions and structures, potentially impacting how policies against illegal fishing are implemented.

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Latest
283 Engrossed in Senate (ES)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S.
283 Engrossed Amendment House (EAH)] <DOC> In the House of Representatives, U.
283 _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and for other purposes.
S., September 14, 2026.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1.
Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S.
283) entitled ``An Act to require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and for other purposes.'', do pass with the following AMENDMENT:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
SECTION 1.
METHODOLOGY FOR IDENTIFYING THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN OF SEAFOOD.
METHODOLOGY FOR IDENTIFYING COUNTRY OF ORIGIN OF SEAFOOD.
and (B) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.
and (B) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.
(3) Key agency leadership.--The term ``key agency leadership'' means the Administrator and the Under Secretary in consultation with the Commissioner of U.S.
(3) Illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing;
iuu fishing.--The terms ``illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing'' and ``IUU fishing'' mean ``illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing'' as such term is defined for purposes of section 609(e) of the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act (16 U.S.C.
1826j(e)).
(4) Key agency leadership.--The term ``key agency leadership'' means the Administrator and the Under Secretary, in consultation with the Commissioner of U.S.
(4) Red snapper.--The term ``red snapper'' means the species Lutjanus campechanus.
(5) Red snapper.--The term ``red snapper'' means the species Lutjanus campechanus.
(5) Tuna.--The term ``tuna'' means the following species of tuna:
(6) Tuna.--The term ``tuna'' means the following species of tuna:
(6) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
(7) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology.
(b) Standard Methodology for Identification.-- (1) In general.--Key agency leadership shall, in accordance with this section, jointly develop a standard methodology, based on chemical analysis, for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
(b) Standard Methodology for Identification.-- (1) In general.--Key agency leadership shall jointly develop a standard methodology, based on chemical analysis, for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against IUU fishing and seafood fraud.
(2) Requirements.--Key agency leadership shall ensure that the methodology developed under this subsection-- (A) is consistent with the needs of Federal and State law enforcement agencies in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing;
(2) Requirements.--Key agency leadership shall ensure that the methodology developed under this subsection-- (A) is consistent with the needs of Federal and State law enforcement agencies in combating IUU fishing and seafood fraud;
and (D) to the extent practicable, can be used to test prepared food, including raw preparations of seafood such as ceviche, sashimi, sushi, and poke.
and (D) to the extent practicable, can be used to test prepared food, including raw preparations of seafood, such as ceviche, sashimi, sushi, and poke.
(2) A plan for operationalizing the methodology developed under subsection (b).
(2) A plan for operationalizing such methodology.
(3) In the event that any aspect of the methodology developed under subsection (b) is impracticable, an explanation of why, whether additional research would make developing such a methodology practicable, and whether a different approach other than chemical analysis might be practicable.
(3) If the Under Secretary determines any aspect of such methodology is impractical, an explanation relating thereto, whether additional research would make developing such a methodology practicable, and whether a different approach other than chemical analysis might be practicable.
SEC.
3.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR IUU FISHING ENFORCEMENT.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense is authorized to, in coordination with the United States Coast Guard, expend funds appropriated for the Department of Defense for operation and maintenance to provide maritime technical assistance to maritime forces from other nations in efforts to combat illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing (commonly known as ``IUU fishing'') and other transnational organized crime.
Such technical assistance may include providing observers, shipriders, and specialized personnel to deploy with such maritime forces, in addition to remote sensing, analysis of data, and operational intelligence, as appropriate and consistent with United States law and policy.
(b) Application of Authority.--The authority provided under subsection (a) shall apply to the use of the United States Coast Guard members deployed to and operating aboard Department of Defense, partner nation, or international partner platforms, as well as partner nation personnel operating aboard United States military and Coast Guard assets or international partner vessels, as appropriate.
Passed the Senate July 14, 2025.
Secretary.
Clerk.
119th CONGRESS 1st Session S.
119th CONGRESS 2d Session S.
283 _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and for other purposes.
283 _______________________________________________________________________ AMENDMENT
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What Congress says this changes

S. Rept. 119-24

Published by the reporting committee Not generated — this is the committee's own “Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported”.

The committee states that this bill does not amend existing law. (S. Rept. 119-24)

Source: S. Rept. 119-24 · govinfo

Action History

  1. Message on Senate action sent to the House.

  2. Received in the House.

  3. Held at the desk.

  4. Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

  5. Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4341; text: CR S4341-4342)

  6. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-24.

  7. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-24.

  8. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 86.

  9. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

  10. Introduced in Senate

  11. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 4 co-sponsors · 542 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (4)

Not signed on (542)

542 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 542 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

environment agriculture
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does S 283 do?
Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement ActThis bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to jointly develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing). It also authorizes technical assistance to other countries to help combat IUU fishing and transnational organized crime. NOAA and NIST must consult with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Coast Guard in developing the methodology, which must use chemical analysis to identify the country of origin of seafood. The methodology must be consistent with the needs of federal and state law enforcement agencies in combating IUU fishing. The methodology must also include a portable field kit and, to the extent practicable, be appropriate for testing prepared food (including raw preparations of seafood such as sushi). The agencies must conduct pilot studies of the methodology on red snapper and tuna.Within two years after the bill's enactment, NIST must report to Congress regarding the methodology and a plan for operationalizing it. The report must explain any aspects of its methodology that are impracticable, whether additional research would make the methodology practicable, and whether an alternate approach might be practicable. The bill also authorizes the Department of Defense to use operation and maintenance funds to provide technical assistance to maritime forces of other countries to help combat IUU fishing and transnational organized crime (e.g., by providing observers or data analysis).
Who sponsors S 283?
S 283 is sponsored by Schatz, Brian (Democratic), Britt, Katie Boyd (Republican), Tuberville, Tommy (Republican), Wicker, Roger F. (Republican), and Cruz, Ted (Republican).
What is the current status of S 283?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced January 28, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track S 283?
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