U.S. Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a global problem that threatens ocean ecosystems and sustainable fisheries. It also threatens our economic security and the natural resources that are critical to global food security, and it puts law-abiding fishermen and seafood producers in the United States and abroad at a disadvantage.

The Maritime Security and Fisheries Enforcement (SAFE) Act provides a whole-of-government approach to counter IUU fishing and related threats to maritime security. Section 3551 of the Act requires the establishment of an Interagency Working Group to strengthen maritime security and combat IUU fishing.

Combating IUU fishing is a top priority for the United States, and communication, collaboration and strategic coordination will be key in bringing about tangible results. The efforts of the U.S. Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing now sit at the heart of our government’s coordination on tackling IUU fishing practices and setting the conditions where IUU fishing is neither accepted nor commonplace in the future.

Member Agencies

The working group brings together twenty-one agencies for an integrated, federal government-wide response to IUU fishing globally. The group's chair and deputy chair positions rotate among NOAA, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Coast Guard. NOAA served as the first chair, and the U.S. Department of State currently serves this role. Additional members of the working group include representatives from:

National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Coast Guard
Council on Environmental Quality
Director of National Intelligence, Representative of
National Security Council
Office of Management and Budget
Office of Science and Technology Policy
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
U.S. Agency for International Development
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Defense
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Department of Labor
U.S. Department of the Treasury
U.S. Federal Trade Commission
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Navy

Current Status

Ruth L. Perry, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, from the Department of State, is the current Chair of the Working Group in coordination with Deputy Chairs, Andrew Lawler, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Fisheries for NOAA Fisheries, and Rear Admiral Megan Dean, Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Arctic.

Resources and Reports

National Strategy and Priority Regions:

Reports to Congress:

Additional Resources:

Last updated by Office of International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce on 07/29/2026