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Congress·In Committee·H.R. 8904

To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to provide for the regulation of fishing in marine national monuments.

Fishing Rules in Marine National Monuments

This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process and is being reviewed by a House subcommittee. It has not been scheduled for any further votes or hearings at this time. The bill is considered active but is not moving quickly through the system.

Legislative Progress

House
Senate
President
Law
Unlikely to pass

This bill attempts to limit executive power over conservation, which usually faces a veto threat and strong opposition from the opposing party.

Key Points

  • This bill changes who has the power to set fishing rules in large protected areas of the ocean known as marine national monuments. It would stop any president from using the Antiquities Act to ban or restrict fishing in these areas.
  • Instead of a president making these decisions alone, fishing rules would be managed by regional groups under the main federal fishing law. This process usually involves more input from local communities and fishing businesses.
  • The policy would apply to both new and existing marine monuments. This means any current fishing bans created by a presidential order could be reviewed or changed by regional fishery councils.
  • This change would mostly affect commercial and recreational fishers who work in deep-sea areas or near remote islands. Supporters often argue this ensures that fishing rules are based on science and local needs rather than politics.

Impact Analysis

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

Milestones

4 milestones4 actions
Jun 3, 2026House

Subcommittee Hearings Held

May 29, 2026House

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

May 19, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

May 19, 2026

Introduced in House

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

Votes

No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.

News

No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to provide for the regulation of fishing in marine national monuments.

Bill NumberHR 8904
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionSubcommittee Hearings Held

Sponsor

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.