Representative Nancy Mace is advancing new legislation designed to strengthen federal oversight of the seafood industry and protect South Carolina’s coastal economies from international market pressures. The Protect American Fisheries Act of 2025 seeks to update existing laws to better address the modern challenges faced by local shrimpers and commercial fishermen.
The bill serves as a modern expansion of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, specifically broadening the legal definition of economic harm caused by foreign competition.
Under the proposed legislation, the criteria for identifying harm caused by foreign activity would expand to include several specific factors:
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Market Distortion: Addressing instances where foreign producers manipulate prices.
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Harvest Disruptions: Identifying threats to the sustainability of domestic seafood harvests.
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Operational Viability: Evaluating actions that jeopardize the long-term economic survival of U.S. fisheries.
The bill mandates that the Secretary of Commerce conduct thorough reviews of evidence regarding illegal or unregulated foreign fishing. These investigations would specifically look for the use of forced labor, predatory pricing strategies, and foreign government subsidies that artificially lower prices and undermine the American seafood market.
The primary objective of the act is to combat the influx of low-priced, unregulated seafood that currently distorts local markets in the Lowcountry. By addressing these unfair trade practices, the legislation aims to create an environment where U.S. companies and restaurants are encouraged to prioritize American-made products, particularly shrimp and fish harvested in South Carolina.
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