Fisheries Modernization Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3]
Introduced
Summary
Would expand disaster-relief eligibility under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to cover infrastructure-related failures and to explicitly include two freshwater crawfish fisheries.
Show full summary
- Freshwater commercial and subsistence fishers would be eligible for relief when operation or failure of federal or state infrastructure, such as levees, spillways, or diversions, causes measurable disruption to fishing, aquatic habitat, or water quality.
- Red swamp crawfish (Procambarus clarkii) and white river crawfish (Procambarus zonangulus) would be added as eligible freshwater fisheries, and crawfish disaster claims would need evidence on hydrological conditions, water-quality degradation, extreme flooding or drought, or other direct environmental impacts.
- The bill reorganizes statutory language to add a distinct "infrastructure-related cause" category and clarifies that marine and anadromous fisheries retain their existing eligibility for section 312 disaster assistance.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More disaster aid for freshwater fisheries
If enacted, more freshwater fisheries could qualify for federal disaster help. It would add infrastructure failures, like levee or spillway problems, when they measurably disrupt fishing, habitat, or water quality. Crawfish fisheries for red swamp and white river crawfish would be explicitly eligible. For crawfish, petitions would need data on water levels, water quality decline, extreme floods or drought, or similar harm. A disaster finding could be based on any mix of natural, human-caused, and infrastructure causes.
Keeps marine fishery disaster eligibility
This bill would keep current disaster eligibility for marine and anadromous fisheries. It says the changes could not be used to cut or limit their access to aid. It would not add funding or new benefits.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3]
LA • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6]
LA • D
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
LA • D
Sponsored 8/26/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov