Magaziner, Crenshaw, Begich Bill to Combat Illegal Foreign Fishing Passes House Natural Resources Committee

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources unanimously passed U.S. Representative Seth Magaziner's (RI-02) Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvest (FISH) Act, legislation to combat foreign illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing that undercuts local Rhode Island fishermen.

Magaziner co-leads the legislation with Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX-02) and Rep. Nick Begich (R-AK-AL) which was introduced in June of 2025. The Senate companion legislation, led by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK), was passed unanimously by the chamber in March of this year.

The legislation strengthens the U.S. Coast Guard's enforcement capabilities to crack down on illegal fishing. It also directs the executive branch to address illegal foreign fishing in future international treaties and agreements.

"Fishing is a way of life in Rhode Island and a cornerstone of our economy and culture," said Magaziner. "Illegal and unreported foreign fishing undercuts Rhode Island fishermen and makes it harder for them to compete. This bill to crack down on these bad actors has passed the Natural Resources Committee and is now one step closer to becoming law to level the playing field for Rhode Island fishermen."

The bipartisan, bicameral FISH Act combats IUU fishing by doing the following:

• Direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a black list of foreign vessels and owners that have engaged in IUU fishing;
• Direct the administration to address IUU fishing in any relevant international agreements;
• Direct the U.S. Coast Guard to increase its at-sea inspection of foreign vessels suspected of IUU fishing, and coordinate with regional fishery management organizations (RFMOs) to determine if a vessel's flag state is taking corrective action;
• Direct the administration to report to Congress on how new technologies can aid in the fight against IUU fishing, the complexities of the seafood trade relationship between Russia and China, and the success of prosecutions against IUU fishermen operating in U.S. waters.