HARPOON Act Expands Military Training Authority to Fight Illegal Fishing, Mandates Coast Guard Joint Patrols

If you’ve ever wondered who’s policing the high seas, the HARPOON Act—officially the Helping Allies Respond to Piracy, Overfishing, and Oceanic Negligence Act—just gave the U.S. military a new job description. This bill is all about beefing up international efforts to stop illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, or IUU fishing, which is a massive problem for ocean health and legitimate fishing businesses worldwide.

The New Mission: Training Against Ocean Pirates

Section 3 of the HARPOON Act is the big change here. It modifies existing law to allow the Secretary of Defense to use military capacity-building authorities specifically to help foreign security forces counter IUU fishing. Think of it this way: Previously, the U.S. could train and equip foreign partners for things like counter-terrorism or border security. Now, that authority explicitly includes training them to stop illegal fishing operations. This means the U.S. Navy could be providing radar equipment, patrol boat maintenance training, or even tactical assistance to allies whose waters are being poached. This is a direct win for sustainable fishing and marine conservation, as it puts real resources behind enforcement.

Coast Guard Gets a Global Partner Mandate

Section 4 mandates a significant operational shift for the Coast Guard and the Secretary (likely Commerce, given the context). They are now required to team up with foreign partners to establish joint patrols. These patrols aren't just focused on IUU fishing; they are also tasked with fighting transnational crime, recognizing that the ships engaging in illegal fishing are often involved in other illicit activities like smuggling or human trafficking. For the U.S. Coast Guard, this expands their already complex mission set, pushing their operational reach further into international waters in cooperation with allies.

Keeping Score: The Annual Report Card

This bill doesn’t just create new missions; it creates accountability. Section 4 also requires the Commandant of the Coast Guard and the Secretary to send a joint report to Congress every year. This report must detail which foreign partners are interested in closer cooperation, what resource limitations are holding them back, and how well the current partner operations are actually performing. This annual check-in is crucial for ensuring that the training and joint patrols are effective and that taxpayer money isn't just floating out to sea. It forces the agencies to evaluate their progress and recommend concrete steps to improve the program.

Real-World Impact: Who Cares About IUU?

If you don't work in maritime industries, why should you care about illegal fishing? IUU fishing severely depletes fish stocks, destabilizes legitimate seafood markets, and often involves poor labor practices. When illegal operators steal fish, it drives up costs for everyone and hurts honest commercial fishers—the small businesses that play by the rules. By empowering the U.S. to help allies enforce their maritime laws, this act aims to level the playing field for legitimate businesses and protect the global seafood supply chain, which ultimately affects the price and sustainability of what ends up on your dinner plate.