COMBATING ILLEGAL FISHING: Better Information Sharing Could Enhance U.S. Efforts to Target Seafood Imports for Investigation
Date of Publication
9-1-2023 12:00 AM
Security Theme
IUU Fishing
Keywords
illegal unregulated and unreported fishing, iuu fishing, Government Accountability Office, seafood, border security
Description
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) work to combat imports of seafood caught through illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which comprises many illicit activities (see fig.). For example, NMFS administers four trade monitoring programs that, by regulation, require documentation for imports of specific species. In addition, both agencies manage efforts to identify or “target” seafood imports potentially caught through IUU fishing so that such imports can be investigated or held for further inspection. Targeting efforts can include monitoring incoming seafood imports that fit a pattern of concern, such as importers with past trade violations.
COMBATING ILLEGAL FISHING: Better Information Sharing Could Enhance U.S. Efforts to Target Seafood Imports for Investigation
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) work to combat imports of seafood caught through illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which comprises many illicit activities (see fig.). For example, NMFS administers four trade monitoring programs that, by regulation, require documentation for imports of specific species. In addition, both agencies manage efforts to identify or “target” seafood imports potentially caught through IUU fishing so that such imports can be investigated or held for further inspection. Targeting efforts can include monitoring incoming seafood imports that fit a pattern of concern, such as importers with past trade violations.
