Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act

The Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act would require the U.S. government to develop a standard, chemistry-based method to identify the country of origin for certain seafood, with the aim of improving enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The plan calls for a joint effort by top science and enforcement agencies to create a field-tested methodology that is fast, portable (a field kit one person can carry), and capable of testing prepared foods when feasible. Initial testing would focus on red snapper and three key tuna species. A report due within two years would summarize the methodology, outline an implementation plan, and explain any problematic aspects or alternative approaches. The bill also authorizes the Department of Defense, in coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard, to provide maritime technical assistance to foreign partners to combat IUU fishing and related transnational crime. This could include observers, shipriders, specialized personnel, remote sensing, data analysis, and operational intelligence, applied to DoD and Coast Guard deployments and partner nation operations as appropriate. The document indicates Senate passage in July 2025, but the prompt lists the bill as introduced.