Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act of 2015
Public Law 114-81 · H.R. 774 · 114th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Nov 5, 2015 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU)
Cosponsors (39): Rep. Don Young, Rep. Robert Wittman,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act of 2015
(Sec. 101) This bill amends the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act to direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Coast Guard to enforce specified laws to address illegal, unreported, or unregulated (IUU) fishing. NOAA and other federal and state agencies are given the authority to enforce those laws, including enforcement through vessel forfeiture and civil and criminal penalties.
NOAA may: (1) help other nations combat IUU fishing and achieve sustainable fisheries; (2) disclose information to government agencies, international fisheries management organizations, and foreign governments to enforce or assist in enforcing fisheries policies; and (3) publish a list of vessels and vessel owners engaged in IUU fishing and take action against listed vessels and owners.
This bill subjects a nation to sanctions only if NOAA certifies that the nation is not addressing IUU fishing or activities resulting in bycatch of a protected living marine resource. Currently, such nations are subject to denial of port privileges and other sanctions unless NOAA has certified that they are addressing such activities.
NOAA must consider the activity of vessels of a nation in the last three years when identifying a nation as having vessels engaged in IUU fishing. Currently, NOAA considers only more recent activity.
(Sec. 112) This bill amends the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to expand enforcement authority to include violations of a treaty or binding conservation measure.
TITLE II--IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ANTIGUA CONVENTION
Antigua Convention Implementing Act of 2015
(Sec. 202) This bill amends the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950 to implement the Convention for the Strengthening of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission Established by the 1949 Convention Between the United States of America and the Republic of Costa Rica, also known as the Antigua Convention.
(Sec. 210) The Eastern Pacific Tuna Licensing Act of 1984 is repealed.
TITLE III--AGREEMENT ON PORT STATE MEASURES TO PREVENT, DETER AND ELIMINATE ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED AND UNREGULATED FISHING
Port State Measures Agreement Act of 2015
(Sec. 302) This bill implements the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing signed by the United States November 22, 2009.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee- Transportation and Infrastructure Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
S. 1334Related bill
Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act of 2015
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 24 actions.
- Nov 5, 2015Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 114-81.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 26, 2015FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Oct 22, 2015FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Oct 21, 2015FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Jul 28, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Jul 27, 2015FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 774.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mrs. Radewagen moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Jul 20, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Referred sequentially to the House Committee on the Judiciary for a period ending not later than July 30, 2015 for consideration of such provisions of the bill and amendment as fall within the jurisdiction of that committee pursuant to clause 1(l), rule X.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Transportation discharged.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 114-212, Part I.
- Apr 30, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans Discharged.
- Apr 29, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Mar 16, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.
- Feb 6, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
- Feb 5, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee co…
- CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E175)
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.