16 U.S.C. § 8031: Interagency Working Group on IUU fishing

There is established a collaborative interagency working group on maritime security and IUU fishing (referred to in this chapter as the “Working Group”). 1 chair, who shall rotate between the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating, acting through the Commandant of the Coast Guard, the Secretary of State, and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, acting through the Administrator, on a 3-year term; the Coast Guard; the Department of State; and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; the Department of Defense; the United States Navy; the United States Agency for International Development; the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; the Department of Justice; the Department of the Treasury; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the Federal Trade Commission; the Department of Agriculture; the Food and Drug Administration; and the Department of Labor; 1 or more members from the intelligence community (as defined in section 3003 of title 50 ), who shall be appointed by the Director of National Intelligence; and the National Security Council; the Council on Environmental Quality; the Office of Management and Budget; the Office of Science and Technology Policy; and the Office of the United States Trade Representative. improving the coordination of Federal agencies to identify, interdict, investigate, prosecute, and dismantle IUU fishing operations and organizations perpetrating and knowingly benefitting from IUU fishing; assessing areas for increased interagency information sharing on matters related to IUU fishing and related crimes; establishing standards for information sharing related to maritime enforcement; maximizing the utility of the import data collected by the members of the Working Group by harmonizing data standards and entry fields; developing a strategy to determine how military assets and intelligence can contribute to enforcement strategies to combat IUU fishing; increasing maritime domain awareness relating to IUU fishing and related crimes and developing a strategy to leverage awareness for enhanced enforcement and prosecution actions against IUU fishing; supporting the adoption and implementation of the Port State Measures Agreement in relevant countries and assessing the capacity and training needs in such countries; outlining a strategy to coordinate, increase, and use shiprider agreements between the Department of Defense or the Coast Guard and relevant countries; enhancing cooperation with partner governments to combat IUU fishing; identifying opportunities for increased information sharing between Federal agencies and partner governments working to combat IUU fishing; consulting and coordinating with the seafood industry and nongovernmental stakeholders that work to combat IUU fishing; supporting the work of collaborative international initiatives to make available certified data from state authorities about vessel and vessel-related activities related to IUU fishing; supporting the identification and certification procedures to address IUU fishing in accordance with the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1826d et seq.); and publishing annual reports summarizing nonsensitive information about the Working Group’s efforts to investigate, enforce, and prosecute groups and individuals engaging in IUU fishing.