House Natural Resources Committee Passes IUU Fishing Enforcement Bill

Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo today issued the following statement on the passage of H.R. 4100, the Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Enforcement Act, by the full House Natural Resources Committee. The bill, which was introduced by the Congresswoman earlier this year, passed the Committee by unanimous consent.

 

If enacted, H.R. 4100 would strengthen the enforcement authority of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Coast Guard to regulate illegal fishing. A companion bill in the Senate, S. 52, also has advanced for further consideration.

 

“I am pleased that H.R. 4100 has moved out of the Natural Resources Committee,” said Congresswoman Bordallo. “This bill would strengthen federal efforts to identify and penalize illegal foreign fishermen, and would provide our Coast Guard with the tools to better enforce regulations throughout the sector. Further, illegal fishing undermines fishery management and threatens economic opportunities for fishing communities on Guam and throughout the world. I thank Chairman Doc Hastings and Ranking Member Ed Markey for including H.R. 4100 in the committee’s markup today, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle toward the passage of this important bill.”