On the 17th (local time), President Trump signed an executive order titled ‘Restoring America’s Seafood Competitiveness’ and directed the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to establish a seafood trade strategy with relevant task forces (TF) within 60 days.
The executive order urges a review of trade practices concerning illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and the use of forced labor in seafood supply chains from major seafood-producing countries.
The review of forced labor practices related to seafood supply chains is interpreted as targeting ‘slave labor’ practices occurring between North Korea and China.
President Trump directed relevant authorities to consider listening to the U.S. seafood industry’s opinions and to halt, revise, or cancel regulations that place excessive burdens on America’s fisheries, aquaculture, and fish processing industries.
In particular, he ordered the Secretary of Commerce to identify the most excessive regulations within 30 days of the executive order announcement and take appropriate action.
Additionally, President Trump directed the Secretary of Commerce and others to review fishing restrictions imposed around U.S. national marine monuments and to prepare recommendations within 180 days.