Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 774, Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act

Today, President Obama signed into law H.R. 774, the “Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act.”  This bi-partisan legislation will advance U.S. efforts to prevent illegally harvested fish from entering our ports and market and achieve sustainable fisheries globally. It will also help address key priorities in the Administration’s action plan for combatting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and seafood fraud. The United States will now join a global effort to ratify and implement the Port State Measures Agreement, which will prevent vessels carrying fish caught illegally from entering our ports, keep illegal product out of the market and demonstrate our continued leadership in the global fight against IUU fishing. Twenty five countries are needed for the treaty to enter into force. We are more than halfway there and the U.S. will continue to work closely with our partners around the world to finalize this important treaty. These measures will benefit U.S. fishermen, seafood buyers, and consumers by protecting our domestic fishermen from unfair, illegal competition and ensure consumer confidence in the seafood supply. The signing of this bill will also enhance our ability to prevent IUU fish and fish product from entering U.S. commerce by strengthening domestic enforcement authorities. The Administration looks forward to working with the Congress to secure the necessary enforcement authorities to prevent illegally harvested or falsely labeled fish from being sold in the United States, and to level the playing field for the U.S. fishing industry.