Saving Seafood

ALASKA: Bill introduced by Alaska’s Murkowski aims to promote use of eDNA analysis in fishery management

August 10, 2026 — Federal fishery managers would start analyzing the DNA collected in ocean waters to help inform their decisions, under a bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. Senate, Alaska’s Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said on Thursday.

Called the Fisheries Science Modernization Act, the bill would set up a system for the use of environmental DNA, known as eDNA, in fishery management. The bill would establish a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration pilot program using eDNA to assess fishery stocks, require NOAA to develop an agency-wide eDNA implementation plan and direct the agency to routinely collect eDNA samples and integrate that form of surveillance into its fisheries research and ecosystem monitoring.

Along with Murkowski, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, is a prime sponsor of the measure. Cosponsors are Sens. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska; Jeff Merkley. D-Oregon; Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland; Patty Murray, D-Washington; Angus King, I-Maine; and Adam Schiff, D-California.

Read the full article at KTOO

 

Murkowski and Colleagues Work to Modernize Fisheries Science

August 7, 2026 — The following was released by the Office of U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski:

Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced legislation that would help the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) better assess and protect our fisheries. The Fisheries Science Modernization Act would incorporate environmental DNA (eDNA) and other biomolecular tools into NOAA’s fisheries science programs, allowing for more cost-effective and expanded survey coverage. This would bolster, not replace, traditional stock assessment surveys by providing NOAA with additional scientifically validated tools to improve data collection, expand survey coverage, and strengthen fisheries management.

This bill would establish national standards for this innovative technology while expanding workforce capacity, strengthening interagency coordination, and supporting private-sector innovation without imposing new regulatory burdens. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA), Angus King (I-ME), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) are co-sponsors.

“Without accurate stock assessments, we cannot make the informed, science-based management decisions needed to ensure our fisheries remain sustainable for generations to come,” said Senator Murkowski. “Environmental DNA is an innovative, cost-effective tool that will give our scientists a clearer picture of our fisheries while expanding survey coverage and reducing costs. This legislation is the product of extensive collaboration with NOAA, Alaska fishermen, Tribal partners, academia, and industry to modernize how we assess fish stocks using the best available science.”

“With climate change wreaking havoc on fisheries, researchers need to stay ahead of the curve,” said Senator Whitehouse. “This bill will allow NOAA to harness new technologies to keep fish stocks healthy and robust.”

“Reliable fisheries surveys and stock assessments are the foundation of sustainable fisheries management,” said Sen. Sullivan. “I’ve consistently fought to ensure NOAA maintains robust fisheries survey coverage in Alaska, where changing ocean conditions are impacting our subsistence, recreational, and commercially important species and the communities that depend on them. As fish stocks shift and ocean conditions become more variable, we need to invest in both the traditional surveys that have served us for decades and innovative technologies that can make those surveys even stronger. By thoughtfully investing in and integrating new tools, we can improve the quality of stock assessments, better support our fishermen and communities, and ensure America’s fisheries remain among the best managed in the world.”

“To implement the best possible fisheries management strategies, we need the best available data,” said Senator Merkley. “Our bipartisan bill modernizes federal fisheries science and invests in innovative data collection and analysis. Bolstering our tools to monitor fisheries is critical to supporting both Oregon fishermen and responsible, sustainable fishing for generations to come.”

“Environmental DNA is a promising new tool for fisheries and ecosystem assessment that could improve fisheries management while also lowering costs,” said Linda Behnken, Executive Director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association. “Senator Murkowski’s Fisheries Science Modernization Act will advance this technology while also improving oversight and collaboration.?ALFA supports this bill and applauds Senator Murkowski for her commitment to science-based management of Alaska’s fisheries.”

“The Fisheries Science Modernization Act comes at a pivotal moment for U.S. fisheries management,” said Austen Thomas, Senior Application Scientist. “As an eDNA service provider, Wilderlab USA sees firsthand how environmental DNA can expand monitoring coverage, reduce survey costs, and deliver data on species that traditional methods often miss. This bill’s focus on national standards and predictable procurement pathways is exactly what the private sector needs to invest with confidence in U.S. eDNA capacity. By bringing the private sector into closer partnership with NOAA and other resource agencies, this legislation will help ensure fisheries decisions are grounded in the best available science. We commend Senator Murkowski for this forward-looking legislation and look forward to supporting NOAA’s efforts to modernize how we understand and manage our nation’s fisheries.”

“United Catcher Boats supports the Fisheries Science Modernization Act of 2026 and appreciates Senator Murkowski’s continued leadership in advancing science-based fisheries management,” said Andrea Keikkala, Executive Director of United Catcher Boats. “Senator Murkowski has long demonstrated a deep understanding of the importance of sound fisheries science and the need to ensure NOAA Fisheries has the tools necessary to sustainably manage our nation’s fisheries. We appreciate her leadership in championing innovative technologies that have the potential to strengthen stock assessments, expand scientific capacity, and improve fisheries management. We recommend that Congress ensure NOAA Fisheries has adequate resources to successfully implement these important new responsibilities without reducing investment in existing stock assessments, fishery-independent surveys, cooperative research, observer programs, or other core science activities that are fundamental to science-based fisheries management. Investments in eDNA should complement, rather than displace, the core science programs that have made the United States the global leader in sustainable fisheries management.”

“The United States is a global leader in sustainable fisheries because of our commitment to science-based management,” said Joanna Slaney, Environmental Defense Fund’s Vice President for Political and Government Affairs. “As technology and science continue to advance, it is crucial for NOAA to examine innovative methods to collect fisheries data and further the best available science. EDF appreciates Senator Murkowski and Senator Whitehouse’s leadership to further science that supports thriving ecosystems, fishery resources, and the communities that depend on them.”

“Environmental DNA collection is an exciting new scientific frontier for augmenting our understanding of fisheries and their ecosystems,” said Meredith Moore, Ocean Conservancy’s Senior Director of Fish Conservation. “The Fisheries Science Modernization Act lays a solid foundation for unlocking this new source of data to improve fisheries management.”

“America’s 11.8 million saltwater anglers depend on healthy fisheries, and sound fisheries management starts with sound science,” said Mike Leonard, the American Sportfishing Association’s (ASA) Vice President of Government Affairs. “Environmental DNA has shown tremendous potential as a tool to supplement traditional fisheries surveys, improve our understanding of marine fish populations, and help managers make more informed decisions. By testing and validating these technologies before incorporating them into stock assessments, the Fisheries Science Modernization Act takes a thoughtful, science-based approach to strengthening marine fisheries research. Better science leads to better management, which ultimately benefits both fish populations and the millions of anglers who contribute more than $145 billion in economic activity to our nation’s coastal communities. ASA appreciates Senator Murkowski’s leadership on this important legislation.”

The legislation is further endorsed by the Cape Cod Fishermen’s Alliance, the Alaska Ocean Observing System, the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System, the Western Alaska Community Development Quota Program, eDNAtec, the National Estuarine Research Reserve Associationand, the Pacific Seafood Processors Association.

Background

Currently, NOAA’s stock assessment methods are constrained by high operational costs and limited vessel availability, resulting in gaps in survey coverage. The integration of eDNA, already widely used in the private sector, would help close these gaps by enabling sampling in remote or hazardous environments while reducing costs.

The Fisheries Science Modernization Act would provide the federal government with key tools to better protect and grow our fisheries by modernizing how fish stocks are assessed while expanding agencies’ capacity to use eDNA. Specifically, the legislation:

Modernizing Stock Assessments

  • Establishes a NOAA eDNA Fishery Stock Assessment Pilot Program to validate methods across diverse regions and species.
  • Requires NOAA to develop an agency-wide eDNA Implementation Plan detailing how eDNA will be integrated into federally managed fisheries.
  • Directs NOAA to routinely collect eDNA samples during existing surveys to improve accuracy, expand coverage, and build long-term datasets.
  • Integrates eDNA into fisheries research and ecosystem monitoring by amending the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
  • Promotes collaboration among NOAA, fishermen, Tribal Nations, academia, and industry.
  • Requires annual coordination meetings and reports to the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and Congress to ensure accountability.

Building National eDNA Capacity

  • Creates the National Aquatic Biomolecular Coordination Network (NABCN) to develop national standards for sampling, laboratory workflows, quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC), metadata, and bioinformatics.
  • Establishes a coordinated multi-agency framework enabling consistent biomolecular monitoring across freshwater, estuarine, coastal, and marine environments.
  • Expands NOAA’s workforce and laboratory capacity while supporting complementary private-sector services.
  • Trains National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) technicians in eDNA collection, handling, and modeling.
  • Supports research, innovation, and technology transfer across agencies, academia, Tribal partners, and industry.
  • Provides transparent performance standards and predictable procurement pathways to encourage U.S. innovation and commercialization of emerging eDNA tools, including autonomous and AI-enabled sampling systems.

###

eDNAtec and the National Estuarine Research Reserve Association.

Thank you!

US lawmakers introduce bill to reauthorize NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office

March 24, 2026 — U.S. lawmakers have introduced legislation to reauthorize NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay office and bolster restoration efforts in the bay’s watershed.

“The Chesapeake Bay is the heart of so many Virginia communities, supporting fisherman and local businesses, offering unique educational opportunities to students, and serving as a hotspot for recreation,” U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia) said in a release. “I’m proud to introduce this legislation that works to ensure the Bay remains a resource for generations to come.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Democrats criticize Trump administration for withholding Congressionally-approved money from NOAA

October 2, 2025 — Two U.S. senators are demanding answers as to why the Trump administration is withholding USD 246 million (EUR 210 million) in Congressionally-approved funding from NOAA.

According to U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-California) and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), a fiscal year 2025 spend plan issued by the Trump administration in August is hundreds of millions of dollars lower than what Congress had appropriated. U.S. President Donald Trump announced nearly USD 5 billion (EUR 4.3 billion) in rescinded funding in August, declaring that his administration “is committed to getting America’s fiscal house in order by cutting government spending that is woke, weaponized, and wasteful.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Van Hollen, Schiff Demand Answers on the Withholding of Funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Critical Programs Put in Jeopardy

October 1, 2025 — The following was released by Senator Chris Van Hollen:

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) are demanding the Trump administration provide answers on why the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) spending plan is $246 million short of the funds Congress directed.

In a letter to Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Russell Vought and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, the Senators raise concerns about the environmental and economic harms caused by the withholding of funds.

“The NOAA spending plan cuts funding across multiple NOAA line offices, including the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, the National Ocean Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service. These cuts impact research labs, competitive research grants, cooperative institutes, and fisheries management programs,” the Senators wrote.

“The administration and OMB must make apportionment decisions within the boundaries of laws enacted by Congress, and we expect you to provide NOAA with its full amount of congressionally appropriated funding. We are concerned that the decision to withhold and redirect funding for NOAA could undermine decades of work to ensure the safety of Americans and the economic security of the nation. This work produces economic and public safety benefits that far outweigh the investments Congress has provided for NOAA’s work,” the Senators concluded.

The lawmakers emphasized how NOAA supports a variety of critical services including public safety during extreme weather events; providing accurate weather forecasts; supporting the fishing industry, maritime activities, and economic security; and protecting coastal and marine resources. The withholding or redirecting of funds puts these services in jeopardy.

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Director Vought and Secretary Lutnick:

We write to express deep concern regarding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fiscal year (FY) 2025 spending plan, approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in August. This NOAA spending plan is $246 million short of the funds Congress appropriated to NOAA in the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (Public Law 119–4). Given this last-minute withholding of funding, we request information on why funding for NOAA is not being allocated and spent as congressionally directed.

NOAA is mandated by Congress to support a variety of critical services for the nation, including public safety during extreme weather events, providing accurate weather forecasts, maritime activities, and economic security. The agency helps support a $183 billion seafood industry and manages fisheries to ensure sustainable and safe seafood for future generations. NOAA also works to protect coastal and marine resources that provide economic benefits for coastal communities through dollars directly spent on recreation and tourism. Conserving coastal places protects against flooding, enhances water quality, and helps coastal counties contribute $9 trillion to the U.S. economy.

On March 15, 2025, Public Law 119–4 was signed into law, extending FY24 spending into FY25. The administration has not apportioned funding in accordance with the law. First, the administration illegally withheld $100 million that Congress classified as emergency funding for NOAA in FY25 continuing resolution (CR), as the Chair and Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee have previously stated. Additionally, the Department of Commerce proposed a $19 million transfer out of NOAA to the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to cover shortfalls caused by OMB, which also denied $20 million in FY25 funding for BIS classified as emergency spending under the CR. Finally, OMB has not apportioned approximately $127 million for NOAA included in the FY25 CR. The Department subsequently proposed obligating some of this funding for the midlife repair upgrades of the NOAA Vessel Henry B. Bigelow.

The NOAA spending plan cuts funding across multiple NOAA line offices, including the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, the National Ocean Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service. These cuts impact research labs, competitive research grants, cooperative institutes, and fisheries management programs. For example, the National Oceans and Coastal Security Fund was eliminated, the Coastal Zone Management program was cut by $1.5 million, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System was cut by $4 million, the National Sea Grant and Aquaculture programs were cut by a combined $8.73 million, and climate research was cut by more than $58 million.

Cuts to these NOAA programs will lead to environmental damage, economic loss, and social harm across the nation. For example, cuts to the National Sea Grant program mean that fishermen in Gulf states will lose the fishery management support that Sea Grant provides for commercially and recreationally important reef fish species like snapper, communities in the Great Lakes will no longer benefit from Sea Grant’s support to address aquatic invasive species or prepare for coastal storms, and shellfish growers in the Chesapeake Bay and beyond will lose critical resources to support their small aquaculture businesses. Furthermore, cutting Coastal Zone Management competitive research grants will impact coastal communities in Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, Maine, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire, where FY25 research grants have been awarded but the funding may not be obligated.

The administration and OMB must make apportionment decisions within the boundaries of laws enacted by Congress, and we expect you to provide NOAA with its full amount of congressionally appropriated funding. We are concerned that the decision to withhold and redirect funding for NOAA could undermine decades of work to ensure the safety of Americans and the economic security of the nation. This work produces economic and public safety benefits that far outweigh the investments Congress has provided for NOAA’s work. Thank you and we look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

University of Maryland receives $300,000 for blue crab research

July 31, 2020 — U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressman Steny H. Hoyer, all D-Md., July 27 announced $299,963 in federal funding for the University of Maryland, College Park for research into a new processing technology that could enhance the competitiveness of the domestic blue crab industry. The funding comes from the 2020 Saltonstall-Kennedy Competitive Grants Program through the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.

“Few things are as iconic as the Chesapeake Bay blue crab, and its harvest is a cornerstone of Maryland’s local economies. This grant will expand the competitiveness of domestically produced crab meat in the face of intense foreign competition, and will help unlock new markets for an important Maryland industry,” said the lawmakers.

The U.S. blue crab industry has faced increasing competition from imported products, especially Venezuelan fresh pre-cooked crab, which has a longer shelf life. This has resulted in a major loss of market share for the Maryland seafood industry. This new high-pressure processing technology will extend shelf life of domestic crab products, while improving food safety and expanding market strategies among the seafood industry.

Read the full story at the Dorchester Star

Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts senators push Trump for aid for their states’ seafood industries

July 6, 2020 — Four U.S. senators representing the Chesapeake Bay region wrote a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Wednesday, 1 July, urging him to invest COVID-19 funding to the area’s shellfish farmers whose businesses have been greatly affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The letter, written by Virginia’s U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and Maryland’s U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, all Democrats, asks Perdue to use some of the USD 16 billion (EUR 14.2 billion) appropriated through the CARES Act to purchase oysters and clams from Chesapeake-based aquaculture businesses.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

US Homeland Security to add 45,000 H-2B visas this year

February 25, 2020 — The U.S. seafood industry is on the verge of getting some good news as the Wall Street Journal has reported that the Department of Homeland Security plans to authorize an additional 45,000 H-2B visas.

H-2B visa allow non-agricultural businesses to fill seasonal jobs with immigrant labor. The program is vital for seafood processors, who claim they cannot find enough domestic workers to handle their needs.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

U.S. senators propose grant program to help restore Chesapeake Bay habitats

September 30, 2019 — Maryland’s U.S. senators and colleagues from across the Chesapeake Bay watershed introduced a bill Friday to create a federal grant program for projects focused on restoring the bay’s fish and wildlife habitats.

The Chesapeake WILD Act aims to replicate a similar program that provides $5 million annually for such projects in the Delaware River basin. The legislation would create a funding stream for work to restore wetlands, improve stream water quality, and plant trees and other vegetation.

If the grant program is approved, Congress would have to allocate money for it in the appropriations process for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is part of the Department of the Interior.

Read the full story at The Baltimore Sun

Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Oyster Restoration Funding In Chesapeake Bay

September 17, 2019 — The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved legislation for the Chesapeake Bay’s oyster restoration funding.

“A thriving oyster population is crucial to the health of the Chesapeake Bay, and in turn, to the health of Maryland’s Bay economy,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations and Budget Committees. “These funds will ultimately support critical efforts to sustain our oyster population and preserve the Bay. I will keep working in Congress to fight for the investments necessary to protect the Bay, its wildlife, and the businesses Marylanders have built around it.”

Officials said the funding will aim toward rebuilding a healthy oyster population in Maryland.

Included within the legislation were provisions to provide $20 million to the Army Corps of Engineers for multistate ecosystem restoration programs for projects involving oysters in the Bay, provide an additional $70 million to the Army Corps Work Plan for project construction.

Read the full story at WJZ