Bycatch Reduction Act
Sponsored By: Representative Begich, Nicholas J. [R-AK-At Large]
Introduced
Summary
Establishes mandatory gear and monitoring standards to cut trawl bycatch, unobserved fishing mortality, and seafloor contact in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska. It also funds research and tech testing, boosts Council transparency, and blocks seafood imports that do not meet comparable U.S. conservation standards.
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- Fishers and vessels: Applicable trawl vessels must meet new pelagic and nonpelagic gear performance standards, install seafloor-contact detection and monitoring, and equip pelagic nets with verified salmon excluders within 1 year; full compliance for some nonpelagic vessels is phased in within 2 years. Noncompliance is treated as a Magnuson–Stevens Act violation and subject to penalties.
- Science, technology, and communities: Reconstitutes a Bycatch Reduction Task Force, creates a salmon life-history research program with tagging and genetic sampling, funds a flume tank public–private testing facility, and establishes grants for rapid genetic analysis and tech trials. The bill requires data sharing, open standards, and stakeholder consultation including Alaska Natives and subsistence users.
- Trade and enforcement: Prohibits importing, procuring, or selling seafood harvested by foreign vessels unless the fishery uses conservation practices comparable to U.S. standards and allows seizure of violating shipments.
*Authorizes $10.0 million per year for the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program for fiscal years 2027–2031, totaling $50.0 million in authorized funding.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Grants and testing for bycatch tech
If enacted, the bill would fund grants and testing to help fishing businesses develop and buy gear that reduces bycatch. NOAA would partner with private groups to build a flume tank for gear testing and create a Flume Tank Assistance Fund for testing and training. A National Fish and Wildlife Foundation fund would give financial help to buy or modify gear and could accept donations. The bill would also authorize $10 million per year for FY2027–2031 for the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program and require faster reviews for experimental permits and electronic monitoring pilots.
Ban on seafood from noncompliant vessels
If enacted, the bill would bar importing, federal procurement, or sale in U.S. commerce of seafood from foreign vessels unless the Secretary of Commerce determines the fishery meets conservation standards comparable to the Magnuson–Stevens Act. The Secretary could seize seafood that violates the ban and would decide how to dispose of seized product. The bill defines a "beneficial owner" as someone who controls a vessel or owns at least 50 percent of it.
More transparency for North Pacific Council
If enacted, the bill would require Councils to record votes on non-procedural matters and publish roll call votes showing how each member voted. Councils would, as practicable, webcast or audio-record meetings and post recordings or searchable transcripts within 30 days, with a permanent online archive. The North Pacific Council would have to update its public comment policy within 180 days to give at least a four-week comment period. NOAA would review financial interest and recusal rules within 1 year and include findings in the 2027 annual report.
New trawl gear rules and penalties
If enacted, the bill would require baselines and performance standards for pelagic and nonpelagic trawl gear and have the National Academies review the methods. Certain nonpelagic catcher/processor vessels would need modified footropes and trawl sweeps with a 1-year phase-in and full compliance by 2 years after enactment. Pelagic trawl vessels could be required to install seafloor contact detectors and provide near-real-time monitoring. The bill would require all applicable pelagic trawl vessels to use certified salmon excluder devices within 1 year and treat failures as violations under the Magnuson–Stevens Act.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Begich, Nicholas J. [R-AK-At Large]
AK • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov