Bycatch Reduction Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4938
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-07T05:08:21Z
AI-Generated Summary
Bycatch Reduction Act (S. 4938)
Purpose
The legislation aims to reduce impacts from trawl gear on bycatch and seafloor habitat in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska. It establishes performance standards for gear, requires salmon excluders and seafloor contact detection, improves transparency in fishery management councils, prioritizes ecosystem research, modernizes monitoring, prohibits certain foreign seafood imports, and creates funding mechanisms for bycatch mitigation and habitat protection.
Key Provisions
- Gear Standards and Modifications: Requires the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to set performance standards for pelagic and nonpelagic trawl gear, including baselines for benthic habitat effects, mandatory modified footropes and sweeps for nonpelagic trawlers, and seafloor contact detection systems.
- Salmon Bycatch Reduction: Mandates salmon excluder devices on pelagic trawl vessels, with field testing, scientific review, and full compliance deadlines.
- Council Transparency: Amends the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) to require recorded votes on non-procedural matters, webcasts and transcripts of meetings, expanded public comment periods, and reviews of financial disclosure and recusal procedures.
- Research and Ecosystem Analyses: Reconstitutes the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force as the Bycatch Reduction Task Force; directs salmon tagging studies, genetic sampling grants, and broad ecosystem reviews covering factors like marine heatwaves and predator-prey interactions; requires public data access and modern analytical methods.
- Import Restrictions: Prohibits importation of seafood from foreign vessels or owners unless the originating fishery meets standards comparable to U.S. MSA national standards, with seizure authority for violations.
- Infrastructure and Funding: Authorizes a flume tank for gear testing, reauthorizes the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program with $10 million annual appropriations through 2031, and establishes the Bycatch Mitigation and Habitat Protection Assistance Fund administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for gear improvements.
- Monitoring Modernization: Directs streamlined electronic monitoring approvals, stakeholder consultations, data integration strategies, and improved public reporting on observer coverage and bycatch.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends MSA Section 302 to mandate recorded votes, online meeting archives, and enhanced conflict-of-interest reviews.
- Adds new Section 322 to MSA Title III creating the Bycatch Mitigation and Habitat Protection Assistance Fund.
- Reauthorizes and expands the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program under MSA Section 316 with increased funding and a clarified purpose.
- Introduces new statutory prohibitions on foreign seafood imports tied to comparability with U.S. fishery standards.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases responsibilities for NOAA, NMFS, and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council in regulation development, data management, research coordination, and enforcement.
- Citizens and Industry: Affects commercial trawl operators through gear upgrade requirements and compliance costs; supports subsistence and recreational users via bycatch reduction; may raise costs or limit availability for consumers of imported seafood.
- International Relations: Could restrict imports from foreign fisheries not meeting U.S. standards, potentially affecting trade relationships with seafood-exporting nations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- North Pacific Fishery Management Council and its advisory bodies.
- Trawl fishing vessels, harvesters, processors, and community development quota groups in Alaska.
- Alaska Native communities and subsistence users.
- NOAA/NMFS and research institutions.
- National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
- Foreign seafood exporters and importers.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Strengthens MSA enforcement by deeming non-compliance a violation subject to civil penalties and permit sanctions.
- Addresses potential conflicts of interest through expanded recusal reviews and designated officials.
- Introduces new federal oversight of international seafood trade, which may raise questions under trade law or international agreements.
- Emphasizes public access to data and meetings, enhancing transparency requirements without altering core constitutional structures.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 2026-06-24: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Bycatch Reduction Act — issued 2026-06-24 — PDF (36 pages)