U.S. Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing
The Maritime SAFE Act requires the establishment of an Interagency Working Group to strengthen maritime security and combat IUU fishing.
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Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a global problem that threatens ocean ecosystems and sustainable fisheries. It also threatens our economic security and the natural resources that are critical to global food security, and it puts law-abiding fishermen and seafood producers in the United States and abroad at a disadvantage.
Understanding Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing
The Maritime Security and Fisheries Enforcement (SAFE) Act provides a whole-of-government approach to counter IUU fishing and related threats to maritime security. Section 3551 of the Act requires the establishment of an Interagency Working Group to strengthen maritime security and combat IUU fishing.
Combating IUU fishing is a top priority for the United States, and communication, collaboration and strategic coordination will be key in bringing about tangible results. The efforts of the U.S. Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing now sit at the heart of our government’s coordination on tackling IUU fishing practices and setting the conditions where IUU fishing is neither accepted nor commonplace in the future.
View a joint message from member agencies about our work.
Member Agencies
The working group brings together twenty-one agencies for an integrated, federal government-wide response to IUU fishing globally. The group's chair and deputy chair positions rotate among NOAA, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Coast Guard. NOAA is serving as the first chair. Additional members of the working group include representatives from:
- U.S. Coast Guard
- Department of State
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Department of Defense
- United States Navy
- United States Agency for International Development
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service
- Department of Justice
- Department of the Treasury
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
- Federal Trade Commission
- Department of Agriculture
- Food and Drug Administration
- Department of Labor
- One or more members from the intelligence community, appointed by the Director of National Intelligence
- National Security Council
- Council on Environmental Quality
- Office of Management and Budget
- Office of Science and Technology Policy
- Office of the United States Trade Representative
Current Status
Dr. Paul Doremus, NOAA Fisheries Deputy Assistant Administrator for Operations, is the current Chair of the Working Group in coordination with Deputy Chairs, Conny Arvis from the Department of State, and Rear Admiral Scott Clendenin from the U.S. Coast Guard.
Since its inaugural meeting on June 24, 2020, the working group has been discussing priority activities, as well as processes for identifying priority regions and priority flag states, engagement with stakeholders, reports to Congress, and working group structure. Tasks also include implementation of Section 5 of the Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth, issued on May 7, 2020.
Engagement
Comments on Interagency Work Plan
The working group has developed a Work Plan—a living document to guide its day-to-day work, as well as serve as the foundation for the 5-year Strategic Plan. It contains a brief background, identifies subworking groups and task groups, lists the range of activities and associated tasks to combat IUU fishing, and describes areas for interagency collaboration.
Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing: Work Plan
Comments regarding the work plan should be sent to iuu.fishing@noaa.gov.
Public Listening Sessions
The working group continues to host public listening sessions to engage with the public on its work. The listening sessions consist of brief presentations followed by an opportunity for listeners to provide verbal comments to the working group.
Upcoming listening sessions will be listed here.
July 15, 2021 listening session: Transcript
More Information
- Priority Regions At Risk of IUU Fishing Activities (pdf)
- Report to Congress on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement (pdf)
- Report to Congress of the Gulf of Mexico Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Subworking Group (pdf)
- Report to Congress on Forced Labor and the Seafood Supply Chain (pdf)
- Office of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection
- Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth (pdf)
- Memo on Opening of the U.S. Interagency Working Group on IUU Fiishing (pdf)
- Subtitle C: Maritime SAFE Act (pdf)
