Go Blue! Seafood Sustainability

Review, Update & Comments on the Presidential Task Force to Combat IUU Fishing and Seafood Fraud

Last August, Sea Port went to Washington, D.C. to attend the first Presidential Task Force meeting to combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing (IUU) and seafood fraud.   Sea Port was one of several seafood industry representatives that were asked to offer their perspectives regarding the need for the Federal Government to greatly expand regulations and enforcement schemes to eliminate IUU fishing and seafood fraud.
 

Update:  Since last August, the Presidential Task Force has transitioned to the National Ocean Council under a newly established standing Committee on IUU Fishing and Seafood Fraud.  In March of this year, a multiyear action plan was released listing major milestones to be accomplished by December 2016 regarding establishing international agreements, enhanced enforcement schemes, private sector partnerships, and a comprehensive traceability system to aggressively combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud.   The committee is asking for public input concerning their plan until June 8^th.  Sea Port has recently participated in two committee public webinars.  During the most recent of May 12^th, the committee was asked to identify specific at-risk species that they will target with their newly announced action plan.  They responded that this determination would be made in July.

Comments:

-  The seafood industry will be ready to provide the committee with more meaningful inputs once they reveal their list of at-risk species for IUU fishing and seafood fraud

-  The committee should be aware that preventing IUU caught seafood from entering the U.S. may simply result in its redirection to other countries that still accept IUU.  Long-term action plans addressing this predominantly foreign fishing problem at all the overseas sources should be the ultimate goal

-  The committee should also entertain the possibility that by concentrating on blocking all short weight  or mislabeled seafood from entering our country, they just may accomplish advancements on the IUU fishing front too because honest weights/proper labeling are predominantly associated with ethical and law abiding seafood companies that do not engage in IUU fishing

Looking Forward:  Sea Port looks forward to updating again once the committee reveals specifically what species it initially plans to target in its Presidential directive to boldly combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud.  Stay tuned.

Sincerely,

David Glaubke, Director of Sustainability Initiatives