MARA Act of 2025

Bill Number

S. 2586

Origin Chamber

Senate

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-07-31: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Last Updated

2026-01-15T12:03:40Z

AI-Generated Summary

Summary of S. 2586: Marine Aquaculture Research for America Act of 2025 (MARA Act of 2025)

Purpose

The legislation aims to promote the sustainable development of offshore aquaculture (farming of fish and other marine species in federal waters beyond state boundaries) in the United States. It seeks to address scientific, regulatory, and economic gaps by authorizing demonstration projects, supporting workforce training and infrastructure, establishing research centers, and commissioning studies. Overall goals include expanding domestic seafood production to reduce the U.S. seafood trade deficit, creating jobs in the seafood industry, and ensuring environmental protection while incorporating input from diverse communities.

Key Provisions

The bill is structured into four titles, outlining new programs, offices, and requirements:

• Title I: Office of Aquaculture
• Establishes an Office of Aquaculture within the National Marine Fisheries Service (part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA) to coordinate federal aquaculture efforts, including research, permitting, outreach, and regulatory issues.
• Requires regional coordinators in NOAA's fisheries offices to support local stakeholders.
• Mandates an aquaculture research program using NOAA's existing scientific resources to monitor demonstration projects and develop performance standards for operations, emphasizing environmental compliance, native species, and adaptive management.
• Allows agreements with coastal states to extend certain program benefits to state waters upon request.

• Title II: Commercial-Scale Demonstration Projects
• Directs NOAA to create an assessment program within 180 days of enactment to evaluate the viability of offshore aquaculture using demonstration projects, focusing on facility designs, technology for monitoring, environmental risks, and compatibility with other ocean uses.
• Authorizes NOAA to issue 10-year permits (renewable for another 10 years) for demonstration projects in the exclusive economic zone (federal waters up to 200 nautical miles offshore), prioritizing projects benefiting disaster-impacted fishery workers or located in designated "Aquaculture Opportunity Areas."
• Eligibility requires projects to use native or low-risk species, minimize escapes and pollution, comply with key environmental laws (e.g., Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act), and partner with educational institutions.
• Includes public notice, comment periods, and objection rights for affected states and Tribes; deems applications approved if not acted on within 90 days under certain conditions.
• NOAA can modify, terminate, or require removal of projects for safety or environmental violations after warnings.
• Coordinates federal permit reviews (e.g., with EPA, Coast Guard) under a single environmental review process, aiming for decisions within 180 days.
• Requires annual reporting by permit holders on production, environmental impacts, wildlife interactions, and socioeconomic data; includes emergency reporting for protected species incidents.

• Title III: Workforce Development, Financing, and Other Support
• Authorizes NOAA to provide general support, including grants for marketing cultured seafood, workforce training in aquaculture operations and business skills, and regional networks for technical assistance and networking.
• Establishes an aquaculture database for sharing research and best practices while protecting confidential information.
• Creates "Aquaculture Centers of Excellence" through grants (up to $25 million annually from FY2026–2030) to minority-serving institutions, Tribal colleges, and others for developing curricula, research, extension programs, and career pathways in aquaculture.
• Directs the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration to award grants (up to $20 million annually from FY2026–2030) for preserving "working waterfronts" (coastal infrastructure for fishing and aquaculture industries), with 50% cost-sharing and no eminent domain use.
• Requires NOAA outreach on sustainable practices to the public, communities, businesses, and governments.

• Title IV: Studies and Reports
• Contracts with the National Academies' Ocean Studies Board for a study (due within 5 years of the assessment program's start) on regulating offshore aquaculture, covering environmental risks (e.g., escapes, disease, pollution), mitigation methods, siting best practices, and recommendations for standards and international labor compliance.
• Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report (due within 5 years) on permitting, monitoring, and regulation over 15 years, assessing feasibility of a lead agency, lessons learned on safety and economics, and recommendations for stakeholder involvement and equity.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• New Federal Framework: Introduces the first dedicated Office of Aquaculture in NOAA, shifting from fragmented oversight to centralized coordination, including mandatory regional presence and a separate budget line item.
• Permitting Process: Creates a novel streamlined permitting system for offshore demonstration projects, including automatic approval timelines and consolidated environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which does not apply to pre-enactment applications.
• Equity and Inclusion: Expands support to underserved groups by prioritizing minority-serving institutions for grants and incorporating Tribal/indigenous knowledge in standards and studies; adds socioeconomic data collection to assess community benefits.
• Savings Clauses: Permits do not replace other federal/state authorizations, and assessments must consider cumulative environmental justice impacts (e.g., disproportionate effects on vulnerable populations based on race or origin).
• No changes to Department of Defense authority or existing state waters regulations, but allows optional state participation in federal programs.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: NOAA gains expanded responsibilities for research, permitting, and grants, requiring additional resources and interagency coordination (e.g., with EPA, USDA). This could streamline approvals but increase monitoring burdens. GAO and National Academies will inform future policy.
• Citizens and Communities: Boosts job creation in aquaculture, fishing, and related sectors, especially for disaster-affected workers and coastal residents; enhances seafood supply to cut import reliance (U.S. trade deficit). Potential risks include localized environmental effects (e.g., wildlife entanglement), mitigated by reporting and standards. Improves education and infrastructure access for minority, Tribal, and indigenous communities.
• International Relations: Supports U.S. competitiveness in global seafood markets by promoting sustainable practices aligned with international standards, potentially reducing imports and influencing trade negotiations. No direct foreign policy changes, but studies address global issues like feed sourcing.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Aquaculture Operators and Businesses: Benefit from permits, grants, technical assistance, and marketing support; must comply with reporting and environmental rules.
• Fishery Stakeholders: Includes wild-caught fishers, processors, recreational anglers, and Tribes; protected through compatibility requirements and priority for impacted groups, but may face competition or conflicts over ocean space.
• Coastal States, Tribes, and Communities: Governors and Tribal leaders can object to permits; gain from workforce grants, waterfront preservation, and optional state-federal agreements. Special focus on Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native, and indigenous groups via centers of excellence and knowledge integration.
• Academic and Research Institutions: Eligible for grants to build aquaculture programs; partner on demonstration projects and studies.
• Environmental and Conservation Groups: Involved in public comments and studies; influence standards to minimize wildlife and habitat risks.
• Federal Agencies: NOAA leads implementation; others (e.g., Coast Guard for safety, USDA for extension) provide coordinated support.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Environmental and Regulatory: Strengthens integration of laws like NEPA and the Endangered Species Act into aquaculture permitting, emphasizing science-based, adaptive standards and cumulative impact assessments to address environmental justice (e.g., avoiding discriminatory effects). No waiver of sovereign immunity, but explores private rights of action in GAO recommendations.
• Constitutional: Respects state sovereignty by limiting federal overreach into state waters and requiring Tribal consultations; aligns with trust responsibilities to Tribes through inclusion of traditional knowledge and equitable opportunities.
• Political: Bipartisan introduction (Sens. Wicker and Schatz) signals broad support for economic growth in blue economies; prioritizes equity for underserved groups, potentially advancing social justice goals. Authorizes appropriations without specifying totals (except for specific grants), leaving funding to congressional discretion, which could spark debates on federal spending for industry expansion versus conservation.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]

Cosponsors (3)

Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI], Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS], Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE]

Recent Actions

• 2025-07-31: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
• 2025-07-31: Introduced in Senate

Bill Versions

• Marine Aquaculture Research for America Act of 2025 — issued 2025-07-31 — PDF (59 pages)