As the Coast Guard continues to interdict cartel-backed fish poachers in federal waters, US Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz, Senator Tommy Tuberville, and Senator Katie Britt took action to target illegally caught red snapper imports.

The Illegal Red Snapper Enforcement Act would require 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.

Technology exists to chemically test and find the geographic origin of many foods, but not for red snapper. The legislation would develop a field test kit the Coast Guard could 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.

Senator Britt said: “I will always fight to protect our incredible US fishermen and food producers. Red snapper is a core component of Coastal Alabama’s economy. As I continue to fight to empower the State of Alabama to manage our own reef fisheries, it’s also vital to combat malicious, illegal activity by cartel-backed poachers who are endangering the livelihoods of hardworking Americans and encroaching on our territorial sovereignty. I raised this issue directly to the Mexican government last year, and I’m proud to now join my colleagues in bringing forward this commonsense legislation to ensure fairness for US fishermen and families.”

Read the full text of this legislation HERE.