H.R. 3706 — SUSHI Act

This section directs key agency leadership—defined as the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, in consultation with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Commandant of the Coast Guard—to jointly develop a standard methodology, based on chemical analysis, for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against unlawful, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The methodology must (1) meet the needs of federal and state law enforcement agencies combating IUU fishing; (2) minimize processing time; (3) use a field kit easily carried by one individual; and (4) to the extent practicable, test prepared seafood foods (e.g., ceviche, sashimi, sushi, poke). In developing the methodology, key agency leadership must conduct pilot studies on red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus, as an example of a stationary stock) and tuna (bigeye [Thunnus obesus], yellowfin [Thunnus albacares], and bluefin [Thunnus thynnus], as examples of a highly migratory stock). (Thus, the methodology would enable on-site verification of seafood origin to enforce import labeling, trade restrictions, and IUU prohibitions.) This section also requires the Under Secretary to submit a report to specified congressional committees within two years of enactment summarizing the methodology, a plan for its operationalization, and—if any aspect is deemed impractical—an explanation, including whether additional research or alternative non-chemical approaches could make it feasible.