US Coast Guard would be charged with enforcing the provisions of a bill that would help prevent depletion of dwindling stocks of fish by strengthening enforcement against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Guam Delegate Madeleine Z. Bordallo, who introduced the legislation last month, opined that unsustainable fishing practices by foreign fishing fleets adversely affect stocks that migrate” between the high seas and U.S. waters.
It is told that fishermen in the United States are subject to multiple layers of regulation, but foreign competitors are often not subject to the same rules. Stetson Tinkham, director of international affairs for the National Fisheries Institute, an industry trade group, said that fishing business to remain economically viable, fishing activities must be sustainable.
The legislation would allow U.S. officials to take actions against countries that don’t have strict regulations. Penalties for violation of the rules could lead to a ban on imports. The bill also would require that a list of vessels engaged in illegal fishing activities be kept and that appropriate action be taken against the vessels.
It is said that this legislation would strengthen the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The act uses market-based incentives to replenish stocks and enforce fishing laws. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Sally Brice-O’Hara said the Coast Guard was ready to take on the challenge and approved of the provisions in the bill to toughen enforcement. The Coast Guard is largely responsible for enforcing fishing laws.
