A new federal rule will allow the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to deny a vessel entry into a U.S. port or access to port services if it has been listed as engaging in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the U.S. agency announced on Wednesday.
Foreign vessels are required to provide a notice to the U.S. Coast Guard prior to arriving in the country. If the vessel is on an international fishery management organizations’ IUU list, NOAA will be notified, resulting in a consultation with other federal agencies. Then the head of NOAA Fisheries will determine whether to deny entry or place other restrictions on the vessel.
The rule, which takes effect on 27 October, also prohibits individuals and businesses from providing certain services to, and engaging in, commercial transactions with listed IUU vessels.
The services include at-sea transporting or processing of fish harvested by an IUU vessel; providing supplies, fuel and crew to an IUU vessel; and entering into a chartering arrangement with an IUU vessel.
“This is a global problem that subjects our fishermen to unfair competition with illegally caught fish products entering the marketplace here and abroad. Illegal fishing also depletes fish stocks, which ultimately hurts the legal fishermen, fishing nations and their economies,†said Eric Schwaab, head of NOAA Fisheries. “Denying port access to vessels engaged in illegal fishing is an effective way to curb this damaging activity.â€
