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SUSHI Act would task NIST with chemical tests to deter illegal seafood imports, supporters say
Summary
Representative Babin introduced the SUSHI Act (H.R. 3,706), which would direct NIST to develop chemical assays to identify the geographic origin of seafood such as red snapper and tuna to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; Florida enforcement officials and the subcommittee expressed support.
Representative Babin introduced H.R. 3,706, the Standards for Understanding Source and Habitat Identification (SUSHI) Act, which would direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop chemical and other forensic testing methods that could identify the geographic origin of fish species such as red snapper and tuna.
Babin and supporters argued such tools would help law enforcement and regulators identify illegally harvested or misidentified seafood, protect lawful U.S. fisheries and level the playing field for domestic fishermen. The sponsor cited academic and NIST precedent for geographic-origin testing in other food products and said the new methods could be expanded to additional species and to deter illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Major William Holcomb of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission testified the state supports the SUSHI Act and urged collaboration between Commerce, Customs and the Coast Guard on standardized chemical tracing methods beginning with red snapper and tuna. Holcomb said illegal harvesting in some Gulf areas has undercut lawful American harvesters and that stronger forensic tools would assist enforcement.
The committee accepted written testimony in support and did not take formal action on the bill during the hearing.
