# 119-hr-9673: MARA Act of 2026

119-hr-9673, MARA Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4] (R-MS); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9673
- As of: 2026-08-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-9673
- Congress: 119
- Title: MARA Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-07-14
- Sponsor: Rep. Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4] (R-MS)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-01

## Summary

**A federal Office of Aquaculture and a coordinated program to pilot commercial-scale offshore aquaculture** would create a NOAA-led framework to test ocean farming, set permit rules, and fund research and workforce support. - Workers and coastal communities: Would fund workforce development grants, create Aquaculture Centers of Excellence, and place at least one regional aquaculture coordinator in each NOAA Fisheries region to train and support operators. - Seafood industry and consumers: Would aim to expand domestic seafood production and help reduce the U.S. seafood trade deficit by promoting sustainable offshore farming, preferring native species, and encouraging alternatives to wild-caught forage in feeds. - Regulators, environment, and fishing stakeholders: Would require an offshore aquaculture assessment program within 180 days, authorize commercial-scale demonstration permits with annual environmental and socioeconomic reporting, prioritize protections against whale and turtle entanglement, and centralize interagency review with a 240-day maximum response timeline.

## Cosponsors (4)

- Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19] (D-CA), 2026-07-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2] (D-HI), 2026-07-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1] (D-ME), 2026-07-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1] (D-HI), 2026-07-16T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Grants for aquaculture training centers: benefit, high. If enacted, NOAA would create a grant program within one year to fund Aquaculture Centers of Excellence at eligible colleges. Grants would fund aquaculture curricula, workforce training, business support, research, and extension activities. The bill authorizes $25 million per year for fiscal years…
- Priority and marketing help for producers: benefit, low. If enacted, the Administrator would give priority to demonstration permit applicants that benefit workers who were harmed by COVID-19 or major disasters and to projects sited in designated Aquaculture Opportunity Areas. The Administrator would also use existing grant programs to support domestic an…
- National studies and oversight for aquaculture: benefit, low. If enacted, NOAA would start an assessment program within 180 days to evaluate offshore aquaculture viability and risks. The Ocean Studies Board would complete a science study and publish findings to Congress within five years. The Comptroller General would also report to Congress within five years…
- New NOAA aquaculture office and help: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would create an Office of Aquaculture inside the National Marine Fisheries Service and require at least one regional aquaculture coordinator in each regional fisheries office. Regional offices would build expert networks with Sea Grant, USDA centers, universities, and Cooperati…
- New offshore permit rules for operators: mixed, high. If enacted, NOAA would be able to issue commercial-scale offshore aquaculture demonstration permits with 10-year terms that may be renewed once for another 10 years after a renewal proposal, a 60-day public comment period, and an Administrator decision within 90 days. Projects would have to grow na…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-4275: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025
- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act
- 119-hr-9802: MARA Act of 2026

## Sources
- [119-hr-9673 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9673)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-4275: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4275)
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4669)
- [119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1262)
- [119-hr-9802: MARA Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9802)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9673 (as of 2026-08-01).