Department of Homeland Security

DHS’s mission is to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards. The foundation of our national homeland security strategy is based on three key concepts: security; resilience; and customs enforcement. By focusing on these concepts DHS is able to keep the United States secure while enabling legitimate trade and travel. Part of DHS’s mission involves efforts to secure and manage our borders, which include preventing illegal or fraudulent goods, including seafood, from entering the United States.

Authorities

DHS has broad authorities at the border and on the high seas to combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can inspect and can seize or refuse entry for offending cargo through the authorities provided under U.S. Code Title 19.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has investigative authority to address seafood fraud at the time of entry, introduction, or export, as well as to investigate and enforce associated violations occurring during or after the importation or exportation.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has several authorities available to combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud, including, but not limited to, authorities under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and international agreements for the management of Living Marine Resources.

Streamlining Trade Data for Seafood Imports and Exports Through the ACE Single Window:

As part of modernizing U.S. trade, CBP, in cooperation with its U.S. partner government agencies, launched an initiative to facilitate more transparent and accountable trade operations through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). This electronic system is designed to become the primary method through which the trade community will submit data related to imports and exports, which the government will validate and use to make determinations of admissibility. Using ACE as the “Single Window” will streamline and automate manual processes, eliminate paper, and help the international trade community more easily and efficiently comply with U.S. laws and regulations. This system will provide all federal agencies – including those engaged in the import and export of seafood commodities—with the means to collect and query critical data and support a risk-based approach to seafood traceability. For more information on the International Trade Data System: http://www.itds.gov/.