The House Foreign Affairs Committee has approved a bill introduced by Representatives Young Kim and Gregory Meeks aimed at addressing illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The legislation would allow the president to enforce sanctions and visa restrictions on individuals and organizations involved in IUU fishing activities.
According to the lawmakers, fleets from foreign countries—primarily the People’s Republic of China—are responsible for significant overfishing and ecological harm by operating near or within other nations’ economic zones. This activity is also linked to economic challenges for affected regions.
“Fleets of illegal fishing vessels are devastating sensitive fish populations, harming food security and local economies around the world. Nearly half of these vessels, 44%, originate from China. If Beijing won’t hold these exploitive vessels and individuals accountable, the U.S. must. That is why we’ve introduced legislation that would grant the president power to impose sanctions on any individual or entity engaging in IUU fishing,” said Chairwoman Kim and Ranking Member Meeks.
Young Kim currently serves as a member of Congress representing California’s 40th district since 2021, following her previous role in the California State Assembly from 2014 to 2016. She was born in Incheon, South Korea in 1962 and now lives in La Habra. Kim graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1985.
