HARPOON Act

The HARPOON Act would authorize the Department of Defense, including the Navy and the Coast Guard, to conduct or support capacity-building programs for foreign security forces to counter illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and to pursue related security objectives. It would add a new authority to broaden U.S. capability-building efforts abroad, specifically targeting counter-IUU fishing operations. The bill also requires the Secretary of the Navy and the Coast Guard Commandant to pursue joint patrols with foreign partners to fight IUU fishing and related transnational crime, and to provide annual congressional reports detailing engagements, regions and countries involved, resource limitations, and recommendations for effectiveness.