S3579-119

In Committee

Bycatch Reduction and Research Act of 2025

119th Congress Introduced Dec 18, 2025

Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.

Summary

What This Bill Does

This bill, Bycatch Reduction and Research Act of 2025, changes federal law or congressional policy affecting federal agencies and legislative administrators. The main policy domain is Government Operations, Technology, Education.

Who Benefits and How

federal agencies and legislative administrators may benefit from new authority, funding, eligibility, regulatory clarity, or reduced risk created by the bill.

Who Bears the Burden and How

federal implementing agencies may take on implementation duties, reporting obligations, compliance costs, or oversight responsibilities.

Key Provisions

  • Section S1: 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Bycatch Reduction and Research Act of 2025.
  • Section idebbf80e93bf140f08e7941211a1f1279: 2. Research The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (referred to in this Act as the Administrator) shall reconstitute the...
  • Section id66e29eabe98a45deb428f1a07bfef65e: 3. Flume tank The Administrator shall enter into a public-private partnership to build a flume tank for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,...
  • Section id66e64070c3f14dfea7deb9f819e5bad1: 4. Observer coverage The Administrator shall— create a timeline and process for reviewing and approving exempted fishing permits to support innovating fishing...
  • Section id4d212cf1416b414a8311faa505f375d1: 5. Bycatch reduction and mitigation Section 316 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1865) is amended by adding at the...

Evidence Chain:

This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.

At a Glance

What This Bill Does

Establishes a comprehensive research, technology, and monitoring program to reduce bycatch of Alaska-origin salmon and protect marine benthic habitats in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska

Key Policy Areas

Fisheries Management, Environmental Protection, Marine Science Research

Primary Purpose

Establishes a comprehensive research, technology, and monitoring program to reduce bycatch of Alaska-origin salmon and protect marine benthic habitats in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska

Policy Domains

Fisheries Management Environmental Protection Marine Science Research

Salmon life history and genetic research

Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Alaska Native subsistence fishing communities
  • Alaska salmon fisheries
  • Marine research institutions
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • NOAA (administrative and funding burden)
  • Federal budget
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Flume tank for bycatch reduction gear testing

Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Fishing gear manufacturers and innovators
  • Commercial fishermen seeking bycatch reduction technology
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • NOAA (construction and operational costs)
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Bycatch Mitigation and Habitat Protection Assistance Fund

Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Commercial fishermen
  • Fishing vessel owners and operators
  • Marine habitat conservation
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Private donors (fund relies on voluntary donations)
  • National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (administrative burden)
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Observer and electronic monitoring improvements

Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Small-scale fishing fleets
  • Fishery managers and scientists
  • Electronic monitoring technology providers
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • NOAA regional offices (reporting and data integration obligations)
  • Regional Fishery Management Councils
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Legislative Progress

In Committee
Introduced Committee Passed
Dec 18, 2025

Mr. Sullivan (for himself and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following …

Dec 18, 2025

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, …

Dec 18, 2025

Introduced in Senate

Impact analysis is available but no clear stakeholder effects identified. View clause-level analysis →

Bill Structure & Actor Mappings

Who is "The Secretary" in each section?

Domains
Marine Science Research Fisheries Management
Actor Mappings
"noaa_administrator"
→ Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Domains
Fisheries Management Environmental Protection
Actor Mappings
"noaa_administrator"
→ Administrator of NOAA
Domains
Fisheries Management
Actor Mappings
"noaa_administrator"
→ Administrator of NOAA
"nmfs_regional_offices"
→ Regional offices of the National Marine Fisheries Service
Domains
Fisheries Management Environmental Protection
Actor Mappings
"nfwf"
→ National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
"secretary_commerce"
→ Secretary of Commerce

Key Definitions

Terms defined in this bill

3 terms
"Bycatch Mitigation and Habitat Protection Assistance Fund" §fund

An account in the general fund of the Treasury administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to reduce or mitigate bycatch and reduce marine benthic habitat contact from trawl gear

"Foundation" §foundation

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

"Bycatch Reduction and Research Task Force" §bycatch_reduction_task_force

Reconstituted membership of the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force with 2 additional academic experts in groundfish ecology and invertebrate ecology

We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.

Learn more about our methodology