Yellowhammer Times

The U.S. Senate has approved legislation introduced by Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) aimed at addressing illegal fishing activities that impact American fishermen, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico. The bill, known as the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act, targets individuals and groups involved in smuggling red snapper and tuna into the United States.

“This is great news for our hardworking fishermen who have worked overtime to compete with Mexican cartels flooding our markets with illegal red snapper,” said Senator Tuberville. “It’s also a win for every American because it cuts off the cash flow to cartels, which have been terrorizing our communities. I’ll continue standing up for our fishermen and fighting to preserve the outdoor activities Alabamians enjoy.”

Under this legislation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would be required to create a standard method for identifying where imported red snapper or tuna originated. This step aims to address ongoing issues with illegal fishing operations along the maritime border between Texas and Mexico. According to information provided, Mexican fishermen use small boats called "lanchas" to catch red snapper illegally in U.S. waters before transporting them back to Mexico. These fish are then either sold domestically or mixed with legally caught fish and exported into the United States.

The problem is compounded by cartel involvement; groups already engaged in drug smuggling and human trafficking reportedly use these same routes for illicit fishing operations. The financial proceeds from selling illegally caught fish help fund broader criminal activity.

Currently, technology exists that allows scientists using chemical analysis methods—sometimes enhanced by machine learning—to determine the geographic origin of foods such as apples, honey, rice, beef, ginseng, cherries, strawberries, and ginkgo. However, there is not yet an established method for red snapper or tuna. If developed successfully under this new law, field test kits could allow authorities like the Coast Guard to quickly determine whether fish were sourced from U.S. or Mexican waters.

The goal is not only to enable confiscation of illegally caught fish before they re-enter U.S. markets but also to reduce incentives for crime by making it harder for traffickers to profit from selling such products in America.

Alabama plays a significant role in recreational red snapper fishing in the Gulf region; state data shows it accounts for 34 percent of all recreationally caught red snapper there.

Senator Tuberville serves on several Senate committees including Armed Services; Agriculture; Veterans’ Affairs; Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP); and Aging.