HR-6338 — Stop Illegal Fishing Act

YourVoice.Now Summary

EnvironmentCivil LibertiesCriminal Justice & Due ProcessTransparency & Accountability

Foreign boats and crews caught fishing illegally would face U.S. asset freezes and visa bans

Environment

Required penalties for foreign illegal fishing — assets frozen, visas barred

The President would have to freeze any U.S. money or property of foreign boats that fish illegally. The same goes for owners, captains, senior crew, and firms that mainly fish illegally, if they know it.

Civil Liberties

Visas canceled at once — for people tied to illegal fishing

Foreign people tied to illegal fishing could not get U.S. visas. Any visa they already hold would be canceled at once. Under current law, a court cannot review a canceled visa except in some deportation cases.

Criminal Justice & Due Process

Breaking the fishing sanctions rules — federal penalties apply

Anyone who breaks the rules written to carry out these penalties, or tries or plots to, would face the same penalties as breaking other U.S. sanctions rules. The bill does not name new dollar amounts.

Transparency & Accountability

President can waive any of these penalties — 15 days' notice to Congress

The President could lift the penalties on any person or boat for the sake of national security. Congress would have to be told at least 15 days before the waiver starts.

More about this bill

Most people would see no change in daily life. The President would have to punish foreign people and boats caught in illegal fishing. That covers boat owners, captains, and senior crew. It also covers companies that mainly fish illegally, and their top managers. Any money or property they have in the U.S. would be frozen. They could not get U.S. visas, and visas they hold would be canceled right away. Illegal fishing here means fishing that breaks the rules, goes unreported, or happens where no rules apply. The bill uses the meaning already in U.S. ocean-fishing law, which comes from a 2001 world plan. Food, medicine, and aid deals would be exempt. So would supplies that keep a crew safe. The President could waive the penalties for national security after telling Congress 15 days ahead. Reports to Congress would list everyone punished, starting within 180 days and then yearly for five years.

Congressional Summary

Stop Illegal Fishing Act This bill requires the President to impose sanctions on foreign vessels and persons engaged in illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing). The bill directs the President to block and prohibit all transactions involving property (including interests in property) of a covered foreign vessel or person if such property comes within the United States or within the possession or control of a U.S. person. The President must also deny or revoke any visa or other entry documentation issued to or sought by a covered foreign person. Civil and criminal penalties apply to violations, including attempts or conspiracies to violate the sanctions. A covered foreign vessel is any vessel that is registered or operated under the authority of a foreign country and engages in IUU fishing. Covered foreign persons are individuals or entities that are not U.S. persons and knowingly (1) own any vessel that engages in IUU fishing, (2) work as a captain or senior crew member on any vessel that engages in IUU fishing, (3) operate as an entity primarily engaged in IUU fishing, or (4) serve as an officer or senior manager in an entity primarily engaged in IUU fishing. The President may waive the application of these sanctions after notifying Congress that the waiver is important to U.S. national security interests. Other exceptions apply, such as to provide life-saving assistance to a covered vessel. The bill directs the President to periodically report to Congress on efforts to carry out these provisions.

Legislative Subjects

Congressional oversightMarine and coastal resources, fisheriesMarine and inland water transportationPresidents and presidential powers, Vice PresidentsSanctionsVisas and passports

Details

Congress: 119th
Chamber: HOUSE
Status: in committee
Action: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Action Date: 2025-12-01
Date Added: 2026-06-05
Source: Congress.gov →

Record 199d45b7-d795-475a-a0c8-477665adb8a6 · JSON

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