Senators Rick Scott and Katie Britt have called on Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to take stronger action against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, particularly activities linked to China. In a letter sent Thursday, the senators expressed appreciation for the Trump administration’s focus on protecting American jobs and ensuring fair markets but warned that IUU fishing poses an increasing threat.
In their correspondence, Scott and Britt described IUU fishing as more than a fisheries issue, stating it is “a direct assault on our economy, our values, and the rule of law.” They highlighted data indicating that globally one in five wild-caught fish is illegally harvested. The senators identified China as the leading perpetrator of these practices. According to their letter, illicit operations related to IUU fishing generate up to $36.4 billion annually for criminal organizations and rogue nations. Within the United States alone, they said nearly 11 percent of seafood imports—valued at about $2.4 billion in 2019—are tied to illegal fishing activities.
The senators accused Chinese fleets of widespread human rights abuses including forced labor and child labor involving vulnerable populations such as Uyghur Muslims and North Koreans. They also raised concerns about environmental destruction caused by overfishing and habitat damage from these fleets.
Scott and Britt criticized previous enforcement efforts under the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act as insufficient. They noted that port entry denials under this law had little effect since vessels from targeted countries were not attempting to enter U.S. ports.
“We urge you to take immediate aggressive action, which means fully enforcing the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act by imposing the toughest possible sanctions on seafood from Communist China and other nations that continue to abuse human rights on the high seas,” wrote Scott and Britt.
They concluded their letter by calling for a total ban on seafood imports from countries involved in or supporting IUU fishing abuses: “We must protect American jobs, safeguard our environment, and uphold our values by refusing to be complicit in the gross abuses of Communist China.”
