Forage Fish Conservation Act of 2025

Key Points

• This bill creates new rules to protect forage fish, which are small fish like herring and sardines. These fish are a vital food source for larger animals like tuna, whales, and seabirds. The goal is to make sure there are enough of these small fish left in the ocean to support the entire food chain.
• Fishing councils would be required to study how catching these small fish affects the rest of the ocean. Before any new commercial fishing for these species can start, experts must prove it will not hurt existing fisheries or the environment. This helps protect the livelihoods of people who catch larger fish that rely on forage fish for food.
• When the government sets limits on how many fish can be caught, they must now consider the diet needs of other wildlife. This means they cannot just look at how many fish are in the water, but also how many are needed to feed hungry dolphins, seals, and birds.
• The bill specifically adds river herring and shad to federal management plans. It also requires more monitoring on certain fishing boats, using either human observers or cameras to track at least half of all fishing trips to ensure rules are followed.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.