Jefferson Reporter

U.S. Senator Katie Britt expressed her satisfaction with the Senate Commerce Committee's progress on the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act, a bipartisan initiative she spearheaded alongside Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz and Senators Tommy Tuberville and Brian Schatz.

The proposed legislation seeks to mandate the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create a standard methodology for determining the country of origin for imported red snapper and certain tuna species. This bill will now proceed to the full Senate for further deliberation.

"Senate Republicans are committed to putting America first, which requires legislation that protects hardworking Americans, including our tremendous Gulf of America red snapper fishermen and food producers in Alabama. These Alabamians deserve fairness when fishing and selling their products in the market," stated Senator Britt.

The bill aims to develop a field test kit capable of accurately identifying whether fish were caught in U.S. or foreign waters. This would enable federal and state law enforcement officers to trace fish origins, allowing them to confiscate illegally caught red snapper and tuna before they enter U.S. markets.

Alabama's coast sees an annual harvest of approximately 100,000 red snappers, making up nearly one-third of the Gulf's total recreational catch. Recreational and commercial fishing reportedly supports over 12,000 jobs in Alabama, contributing more than $1.1 billion annually to its economy.

"Advancing the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act is a first step to protecting Alabama’s fishermen and putting cartel-backed poachers on notice for their illicit activities in the Gulf. This legislation will help ensure a level playing field for our fishermen and send a strong message to Mexico that illegal actions will no longer be tolerated," added Senator Britt.

Red snapper is considered one of the best-managed fisheries in the Gulf but faces challenges from illegal fishing by Mexican lanchas, which disadvantage compliant U.S. fishermen. Such Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing contravenes both national and international regulations.

In addition to fishing violations, cartels involved in drug smuggling also exploit these operations for illegal fishing activities using similar vessels for both purposes.

Senators Britt and Cruz had previously introduced comparable legislation during the 118th Congress; it passed through the Commerce Committee last July.