July 9, 2025 — On July 3, the U.S. House narrowly passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, sweeping federal legislation that extends tax cuts and reduces social safety net programs. President Trump signed the bill into law during a ceremony held the following day.
For coastal fishing communities endeavoring to protect access to their fisheries and fisheries habitats, efforts to deal with the legislation remain a work in progress.
One possible saving grace was that before it went to the House, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, dropped from the H.R. 1 package in the Senate a contentious plan to sell between 2.2 million and 3.3 million acres of public lands in 11 western states for the construction of housing.
“Public land sales or privatization could cut off lifelines to water, or at the very least, create disruptive and unnecessary uncertainty,” said Michelle Stratton, a fisheries scientist and executive director of the Alaska Marine Conservation Council in Anchorage. “Without reliable public access to harbors, fish camps, and boat ramps, especially on or near federal lands, Alaska’s small boat fishermen can’t operate or know how to prepare for their season.”