The Illegal Red Snapper Enforcement Act, introduced by Sen. Cruz along with Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), targets illegally caught red snapper imports by requiring the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of red snapper imported into the United States.
Upon passage of the Illegal Red Snapper Enforcement Act, Sen. Cruz said: “Cartel-backed criminal entities are poaching red snapper in American waters and importing it for unwitting consumers to buy, while the profits help fund other illicit activities like drug smuggling and human trafficking. We can crack down on illegal fishing by dangerous criminal gangs with new technology that can identify the geographic origin of red snapper. I am glad this common-sense legislation has cleared this important hurdle, and I am hopeful the full Senate will quickly act to protect the livelihoods of Texas fishermen.”
Technology exists to chemically test and find the geographic origin of many foods, but not for red snapper. The legislation aims to develop a field test kit that the Coast Guard can use to accurately ascertain whether fish were caught in Mexico or US waters, thus allowing federal and state law enforcement officers to identify the origin of the fish and confiscate illegally caught red snapper before it is imported back into the US.
Sen. Cruz also worked extensively with Chairwoman Cantwell on incorporating a number of amendments to her National Landslide Preparedness Reauthorization Act that would authorize a next-generation water observing system and modernize and expand the US Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauge network. These amendments will provide additional resources for drought research, aiding communities in South Texas struggling with drought conditions.
