A bipartisan group of US senators has urged Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to impose sanctions on the support vessels that sustain China's distant-water fishing fleet, arguing that crippling the logistical backbone of the operation is the most effective way to curb what they described as widespread illegal fishing, environmental destruction, and forced labour linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The letter was sent on Thursday, 24 July 2025, and publicly released the following day.

What the Senators Are Demanding

Led by Senator Ted Cruz, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, the lawmakers asked the Treasury Department to identify refrigerated cargo ships, fuel tankers, and floating bases that allow Chinese fishing vessels to remain at sea for extended periods — effectively bypassing ports where existing sanctions could be enforced. The letter calls for placing these vessels, along with their owners and beneficial owners, on the Office of Foreign Assets Control's (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.

The letter also identifies 29 specific vessels that the senators allege have not yet been sanctioned.

Scale of China's Fishing Operations

According to the letter, China's distant-water fishing fleet is estimated to consist of between 2,000 and 16,000 vessels. The lawmakers stated that the fleet accounted for 44 per cent of global fishing activity between 2022 and 2024, operating for 110 million hours in the waters of 90 countries. They alleged the fleet has been linked to illegal harvesting, destruction of coral reefs, and the exploitation of forced labour.

'The Chinese Communist Party is using its global distant-water fleet to conduct ecocide across at least three continents in both hemispheres,' Cruz said. 'They kill endangered species by the hundreds and sharks, whales, and dolphins by the thousands, and have destroyed tens of thousands of acres of coral reefs. Their fleet uses coerced laborers, who are subjected to physical abuse, malnutrition, overwork, and withheld pay.'

Why Targeting Support Ships Is the Strategy

The senators argued that while the United States has previously sanctioned Chinese fishing vessels and their operators, Beijing has built an extensive logistics network that blunts the effectiveness of those measures. Support ships transport catches, refuel fishing boats, and provide medical services — enabling vessels to stay at sea indefinitely without entering ports.

Crucially, the senators contend that support vessels are more vulnerable to sanctions than fishing boats because they require regular access to ports, insurance, financing, and commercial transactions. Once sanctioned, such vessels would face significant difficulties obtaining fuel, port services, and buyers for their cargo — turning them into liabilities rather than assets for China's fishing operations.

Senator Dan Sullivan said the proposed sanctions would 'strike at a key weakness' in China's fishing operations, adding that Chinese trawl fleets 'ravage fish stocks in every corner of the world's oceans without regard for any other users or future generations' and 'engage in gross human rights abuses, including utilizing slave labor.'

Bipartisan Backing and Key Voices

The initiative drew support from senators across party lines. Senator Andy Kim said China's 'dark fleets and forced labor threaten New Jersey's fishing industries, our supply chains, and our national security,' warning that 'without action, global ecosystems and economies will suffer irreversible harm.'

Other senators joining the letter included Tom Cotton, Chris Coons, Roger Wicker, Todd Young, Rick Scott, and Marsha Blackburn. Cotton said the vessels 'threaten our maritime security and Americans' livelihoods.' Coons accused the fleet of 'destroying our oceans,' while Wicker called sanctions 'a no-brainer.' Young cited 'overfishing and illegal incursions into foreign waters,' Scott accused the CCP of using 'slave labor and violating human rights on the high seas,' and Blackburn said the move would help ensure the United States was 'not doing business with them.'

What Happens Next

The letter is addressed to Treasury Secretary Bessent, whose department controls OFAC sanctions designations. It remains to be seen whether the administration will act on the bipartisan recommendation. If sanctions are imposed, China's fishing support network — which critics argue has allowed the fleet to operate with near-impunity across three continents — could face significant operational disruption.