MARA Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4]
Introduced
Summary
Create a federal program to responsibly develop offshore aquaculture. This bill would set up a NOAA Office of Aquaculture, a commercial-scale demonstration permit system, an assessment program, and industry support to expand domestic seafood while protecting marine life.
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- Households and consumers: The bill would increase U.S.-grown seafood supply and aims to help shrink the U.S. seafood trade deficit by encouraging domestic production.
- Workers and coastal communities: It would fund workforce development, marketing grants, technical assistance, and regional expert networks for producers and working waterfronts. Demonstration permits run for 10 years and may be renewed for an additional 10 years.
- Environment, Tribal nations, and fishery stakeholders: Permits must favor native or historically naturalized species and comply with the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, and NEPA. The bill requires monitoring, annual reporting, escape and disaster plans, data protections, and a National Academies study within 5 years to guide environmental standards and best practices.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
New offshore aquaculture permits
If enacted, the Administrator would be able to issue 10-year commercial demonstration permits for offshore aquaculture after the assessment program starts. Applications would get a 90-day completeness check, a 60-day public comment period, and a 90-day decision window after comments. Federal agencies would coordinate and aim to give a unified permitting response within 240 days. A complete application would be considered approved automatically if the agency does not act within the specified times. Permits would require annual production and environmental reporting starting one year after in-water operations, and the Administrator could modify or end permits for serious safety or compliance problems after warning. The Administrator would give priority to applications that directly benefit people hurt by COVID-19 or major disasters and to projects sited in designated Aquaculture Opportunity Areas.
Marketing grants for cultured seafood
If enacted, the Administrator would use existing grant programs to support marketing and outreach for cultured seafood in the U.S. and abroad. The program would work with private aquaculture groups and existing extension networks. The bill does not itself appropriate new funds, so the level of grant support would depend on available program funding.
Federal aquaculture assessment program
If enacted, NOAA Fisheries would set up an offshore aquaculture assessment program within 180 days. The program would study designs, monitoring, risks, benefits, and costs using demonstration project data. NOAA would seek an Ocean Studies Board study and must publish public reports, and the Comptroller General must report to Congress, both within five years after the program starts.
NOAA Office of Aquaculture created
If enacted, the bill would create an Office of Aquaculture at NOAA Fisheries headquarters to run the assessment and permit work. The Office would add regional aquaculture coordinators in each regional fisheries office and keep a public database of research and best practices while protecting personal and business data. The Office would request a separate NMFS budget line, but funding would depend on future appropriations.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4]
MS • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/21/2026
Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]
KS • R
Sponsored 7/21/2026
Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1]
HI • D
Sponsored 7/21/2026
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 7/21/2026
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
ME • D
Sponsored 7/21/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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