House subpanel eyes bills to deter illegal catches, bolster enforcement

E&E News
By Jessica Estepa
March 31, 2014

A House Natural Resources subpanel this week will tackle a pair of bills that aim to deter illegal fishing around the world and strengthen the United States' own fisheries law enforcement.

On the Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affair Subcommittee's agenda is legislation from Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) that would implement the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, more commonly known as the Port State Measures Agreement.

Under this agreement, which the United States signed in 2009, vessels with illegally caught fish would not be allowed to enter participating countries' ports. Additionally, those products would not be sold in those markets.

DeFazio's office noted the agreement, which conservationists have touted, will take effect when all 25 of the signatory countries have ratified the treaty. So far, only 10, including the European Union, have done so.

The United States has inched closer toward ratification this year. Earlier this month, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the treaty by a voice vote (E&ENews PM, March 11).

DeFazio will officially introduce his legislation this week, his office said.

Lawmakers will also examine H.R. 69 from Del. Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam). The comprehensive legislation would enhance capabilities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Coast Guard to regulate illegal fishing.

Additionally, the measure would increase the federal government's capacity to inspect, identify and monitor illegal foreign vessels, according to Bordallo's office. Further, it amends international agreements to include civil and criminal penalties. It also would allow for more data sharing with foreign governments in order to identify and penalize countries that are not adhering to fisheries management regulations.

This marks the third Congress a version of Bordallo's legislation has been introduced. In the 111th Congress, the House passed a version of the legislation, but it was not taken up by the Senate. And in the 112th, Natural Resources lawmakers approved the legislation, but it was not brought to the floor.

"Illegal fishing threatens the economic and social infrastructure of fishing communities, and the security of the United States and our allies around the world, by decreasing opportunities for legitimate and conscientious fishermen," she said when she introduced the latest version last year. "The '[Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated] Fishing Enforcement Act' would further enhance the enforcement authority of NOAA and the U.S. Coast Guard to regulate IUU fishing and prevent the depletion of fishing stocks worldwide."

Also on the agenda is H.R. 2646, sponsored by Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.). The legislation directs the Commerce secretary to issue a fishing capacity reduction loan to refinance the existing loan funding the Pacific Coast groundfish fishing capacity reduction program. The previous iteration of the legislation was supported by the Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Schedule: The hearing is Thursday, April 3, at 2 p.m. in 1334 Longworth.

Witnesses: David Balton, deputy assistant secretary for oceans and fisheries, State Department; Kathryn Sullivan, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Mark Lagon, global politics and security chairman at Georgetown University; Brad Pettinger, director of the Oregon Trawl Commission; James Walsh, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP; and James Neva.