North Indy News

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) has introduced the Helping Allies Respond to Piracy, Overfishing, and Oceanic Negligence (HARPOON) Act. The legislation aims to address the impact of China’s illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing activities globally.

The proposed act would enhance U.S. cooperation with partner countries in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific on maritime security. This would include joint Coast Guard patrols, sharing intelligence, and providing security assistance focused on countering illegal fishing and maritime coercion.

Senator Young stated, “China is aggressively pursuing maritime dominance in the South China Sea, building and militarizing artificial islands, staking illegal claims to vast swaths of ocean, vacuuming up wildlife, and recklessly pushing out fishermen who depend on those resources to provide for their families.” He added, “China’s actions threaten our national security and the economy and ecology of the region. The HARPOON Act will spear China’s maritime ambitions and send a message that the CCP’s aggressive behavior cannot continue.”

Last month, Senator Young visited the Philippines where he observed Chinese activity in contested waters. During his trip, he met with senior government officials, military leaders, wildlife researchers, and local fishermen to discuss concerns about China’s actions. While he was there, an incident occurred involving a Chinese warship colliding with a Chinese coast guard vessel as they chased a Filipino patrol boat near disputed waters; four Chinese sailors were reported missing following the collision.