§ 1826j. Illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing

(a) Identification

The Secretary shall identify, and list in the report under section 1826h of this title, a nation if fishing vessels of that nation are engaged, or have been engaged at any point during the preceding 2 years, in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing—

(1) the relevant international fishery management organization has failed to implement effective measures to end the illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing activity by vessels of that nation or the nation is not a party to, or does not maintain cooperating status with, such organization; or

(2) where no international fishery management organization exists with a mandate to regulate the fishing activity in question.

(b) Notification

An identification under subsection (a) or section 1826k (a) of this title is deemed to be an identification under section 1826a (b)(1)(A) of this title, and the Secretary shall notify the President and that nation of such identification.

No later than 60 days after submitting a report to Congress under section 1826h of this title, the Secretary, acting through the Secretary of State, shall—

(1) notify nations listed in the report of the requirements of this section;

(2) initiate consultations for the purpose of encouraging such nations to take the appropriate corrective action with respect to the offending activities of their fishing vessels identified in the report; and

(3) notify any relevant international fishery management organization of the actions taken by the United States under this section.

(d) IUU certification procedure

(1) Certification

The Secretary shall establish a procedure, consistent with the provisions of subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5, for determining if a nation identified under subsection (a) and listed in the report under section 1826h of this title has taken appropriate corrective action with respect to the offending activities of its fishing vessels identified in the report under section 1826h of this title. The certification procedure shall provide for notice and an opportunity for comment by any such nation. The Secretary shall determine, on the basis of the procedure, and certify to the Congress no later than 90 days after the date on which the Secretary promulgates a final rule containing the procedure, and biennially thereafter in the report under section 1826h of this title—

(A) whether the government of each nation identified under subsection (a) has provided documentary evidence that it has taken corrective action with respect to the offending activities of its fishing vessels identified in the report; or

(B) whether the relevant international fishery management organization has implemented measures that are effective in ending the illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing activity by vessels of that nation.

(2) Alternative procedure

The Secretary may establish a procedure for certification, on a shipment-by-shipment, shipper-by-shipper, or other basis of fish or fish products from a vessel of a harvesting nation not certified under paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that—

(A) the vessel has not engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing under an international fishery management agreement to which the United States is a party; or

(B) the vessel is not identified by an international fishery management organization as participating in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing activities.

(3) Effect of certification

(A) In general

The provisions of section 1826a (a) and section 1826a (b)(3) and (4) of this title—

(i) shall apply to any nation identified under subsection (a) that has not been certified by the Secretary under this subsection, or for which the Secretary has issued a negative certification under this subsection; but

(ii) shall not apply to any nation identified under subsection (a) for which the Secretary has issued a positive certification under this subsection.

(B) Exceptions

Subparagraph (A)(i) does not apply—

(i) to the extent that such provisions would apply to sport fishing equipment or to fish or fish products not managed under the applicable international fishery agreement; or

(ii) if there is no applicable international fishery agreement, to the extent that such provisions would apply to fish or fish products caught by vessels not engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing.

(e) Illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing defined

(1) In general

In sections 1826d to 1826k of this title the term “illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing” has the meaning established under paragraph (2).

(2) Secretary to define term within legislative guidelines

Within 3 months after January 12, 2007, the Secretary shall publish a definition of the term “illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing” for purposes of sections 1826d to 1826k of this title.

(3) Guidelines

The Secretary shall include in the definition, at a minimum—

(A) fishing activities that violate conservation and management measures required under an international fishery management agreement to which the United States is a party, including catch limits or quotas, capacity restrictions, and bycatch reduction requirements;

(B) overfishing of fish stocks shared by the United States, for which there are no applicable international conservation or management measures or in areas with no applicable international fishery management organization or agreement, that has adverse impacts on such stocks; and

(C) fishing activity that has an adverse impact on seamounts, hydrothermal vents, and cold water corals located beyond national jurisdiction, for which there are no applicable conservation or management measures or in areas with no applicable international fishery management organization or agreement.

(f) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for fiscal years 2007 through 2013 such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.

U.S. Code

§ 1826j. Illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing