Saving Seafood

New bill seeks to strengthen U.S. fisheries with MSA updates

June 5, 2025 — Once again, the U.S. House of Representatives lawmakers have introduced legislation to reauthorize and update the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA).

The MSA was last revised in 2006, and being the primary legislation governing U.S. fisheries, it is critical to ensure that federal law reflects today’s fisheries challenges across the country.

Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA), James Moylan (R-Guam), and Ed Case (D-HI) reintroduced the Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act. The bill will implement the necessary changes to the MSA. To include as many viewpoints as possible, Huffman and Case held eight listening sessions across seven management regions during their fisheries listening tour. They heard from 80 different experts and stakeholders, in addition to public comments from dozens of individuals.

Similar efforts have been made in 2022 and 2020 to reauthorize the MSA, but they fell short.

“The Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act makes significant advancements to our U.S. fisheries management system and will contribute to the economic betterment, cultural enrichment, and health benefit of people and communities nationwide. This bipartisan bill will improve catch data and stock assessments, which are the bedrock of our successful science-based fisheries management, while also giving working waterfronts and fishing communities the infrastructure improvements and funding support they need to meet the challenges of the future,” stated Robert C. Vandermark, executive director of the Maine Fish Conservation Network. “The Marine Fish Conservation Network thanks Representatives Huffman, Moylan, and Case for their work to further the health and productivity of our oceans and fisheries that sustain our economy, nutritional wellbeing, and way of life.”

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

CALIFORNIA: ‘Hope dies hard’: Fishing industry reacts to CA salmon season closure

April 21, 2025 — This week, the Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted recommendations for ocean salmon fishing along the West Coast; for an unprecedented third year in a row, the council has recommended closing commercial fishing off the California coast and allowing only limited commercial fishing in Oregon and Washington.

Commercial fishermen and fishing organizations largely affirmed the need to suspend salmon fishing, but noted that three years without a season has been devastating to fishermen and coastal communities that rely on salmon fishing.

Commercial salmon fisherman and Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District Commissioner Aaron Newman said that he had been optimistic after seeing indications that “a lot of healthy jacks” were coming out of the Sacramento region as the Pacific Fishery Management Council planned its recommendation to the National Marine Fisheries Service. But said that analysis of recent trendlines, which take into account the very grim indicator of the past two years, might have scuttled the opportunity for a season.

“Nobody wants to fish on a failing fishery,” Newman said, “but it really looked like it was rebounding.”

Impact on fishermen

“Coastal towns, river communities and thousands of salmon fishery employees depend on the salmon season to generate income and stay afloat — and now, for the third year in a row, they’ve been dealt another devastating impact with an unprecedented closure of the 2025 salmon season,” read a statement issued by U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Raphael). “The last two years of closures have devastated California’s coastal economies — and facing a third consecutive closure marks an unprecedented low point.”

Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations Executive Director Lisa Damrosch lamented a lack of a safety net.

“We don’t have access to the same resources that other food producers have,” she said, noting that commercial fishermen don’t have access to programs like those provided by the USDA. “We have had disasters declared in the past; 2023 and 2024 were both declared disasters, but that’s a very long and onerous process. There still have been no pay-outs to the fishermen from 2023 … There are other programs for agriculture such as subsidies if there is a bad season or subsidies for low prices or low-interest loans or grants; we don’t have any of that to help our fishermen, food producers, when there’s a disaster or an issue.”

Read the full story at the Times-Standard

Huffman bill would funnel US offshore energy leasing revenue to fisheries research

December 18, 2024 — U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California) has introduced new legislation to redirect revenue from offshore energy projects to the priority needs of Tribes and coastal communities, such as fisheries research.

Huffman’s Resilience, Equity, and Sustainability Through Offshore Renewable Energy (RESTORE) Act would establish a new revenue-sharing mechanism for offshore renewable energy development, reinvesting the money tthe government earns from its lease into habitat conservation, climate resilience, and economic development.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

US bills would implement new protections for migratory birds

November 6, 2024 — Two pieces of legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California) and U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania) would strengthen conservation efforts around migratory birds and help protect them from commercial fishing operations.

“Bucks and Montgomery Counties are home to hundreds of diverse species of birds and ecosystems,” Fitzpatrick said in a statement. “Many of these migratory birds are facing threats of extinction, and we must engage in initiatives to enhance standards for the conservation of these vital species. I am proud to join this bipartisan legislation to protect vulnerable species and improve habitat conditions.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization back on the docket

June 28, 2024 — A bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives has re-introduced a bill in the latest bid to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA).

U.S. representatives Jared Huffman (D-California), who is the ranking member of the U.S. Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries, along with Ed Case (D-Hawaii), Mary Peltola (D-Alaska), and U.S. Delegate James Moylan (R-Guam), reintroduced the “Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act” in a bid to renew the MSA – the law governing fisheries management at a federal level. The law was enacted in 1976 and was last reauthorized in 2006.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

 

Bipartisan group of lawmakers push Biden to do more on IUU fishing

March 12, 2024 –A bipartisan group of lawmakers from the U.S. House of Representatives has sent a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden urging him and the administration to take increased action against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The letter, sent by House Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-California) and House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Arizona), was signed by 26 members of the U.S. House of Representatives. It calls for the Biden administration to use new authorities granted it by the National Defense Authorization Act. and the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Huffman, Graves want Biden to make “strong statement” against IUU

June 6, 2022 — Two U.S. lawmakers pushing the federal government to take broader action against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing are asking U.S. President Joe Biden to take action ahead of a key international conference.

U.S. Representatives Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and Garret Graves (R-La.) sent the letter on 2 June 2022, saying the country has the opportunity to demonstrate leadership in the fight against IUU ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, which starts on 27 June. The conference – as well as June being World Oceans Month – presents an opportunity for the U.S. to make a “strong statement,” they said in the three-page letter.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

Bill to Reauthorize Magnuson-Stevens Act Delayed Until Alaska Elects New Member of Congress

April 8, 2022 — The bill to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act is being put on hold until Alaskans elect a new member of Congress following the passing of Alaska Republican Rep. Don Young.

Young passed away on March 18 at the age of 88. As SeafoodNews editor Peggy Parker reported, Young was the historical constant in the evolution of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, serving in the house when Senator Ted Stevens represented Alaska in the Senate, and he and Washington Senator Warren Magnusen introduced the original legislation. Young introduced legislation two years ago with several updates to the law.

Now, Representative Jared Huffman, the chair of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife, said his bill to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act will be put on hold until a replacement for Young is elected.

Read the full story at Seafood News

Don Young’s death will delay fisheries law overhaul

April 6, 2022 — The death of Alaska Republican Rep. Don Young will delay consideration of a long-awaited overhaul of the nation’s premier fishing law.

Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), the chair of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife, said his bill to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, a 1976 law, will be put on hold until Alaskans elect a replacement for Young, who died on March 18 at the age of 88.

“Although we often differed politically, we were always able to have productive conversations when it came to fisheries management, and he was a brilliant negotiator for this landmark bill,” Huffman said in a statement.

Calling Young’s death “a tremendous loss for Alaska, the country and all of us who had the honor of working with him,” Huffman said he wanted to wait until a successor is elected this summer to “ensure the voices of the Alaskan people are represented” before the bill moves through the House.

“I am grateful for the progress Rep. Young and I accomplished together as we neared the finish line with this bill, and I look forward to finalizing it with whomever takes the torch from the venerable Don Young,” Huffman said.

Read the full story from the office of Congressman Jared Huffman

Rep. Huffman Statement on Status of Magnuson-Stevens Act Reauthorization

March 25, 2022 — The following was released by the office of Rep. Jared Huffman:

Today, Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) released the following statement regarding the status of his Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) reauthorization legislation, the Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act, in light of Congressman Don Young’s passing:

“Over the past three years, I have worked to update and reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Act – traveling coast to coast to hear from stakeholders, releasing discussion drafts for public review, and partnering with lawmakers from across the country in what has been a uniquely inclusive and comprehensive process. As part of this effort, I have had the privilege to work closely with the MSA’s original author, Congressman Don Young,” said Rep. Huffman. “Although we often differed politically, we were always able to have productive conversations when it came to fisheries management, and he was a brilliant negotiator for this landmark bill. His death is a tremendous loss for Alaska, the country, and all of us who had the honor of working with him. I’ve always said it’s important all voices be heard in this MSA reauthorization process – and so, we will be pausing further committee consideration of the legislation until his replacement is elected and we can ensure the voices of the Alaskan people are represented before the bill advances further through the House. I am grateful for the progress Rep. Young and I accomplished together as we neared the finish line with this bill, and I look forward to finalizing it with whomever takes the torch from the venerable Don Young.”

More information on the Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act and the reauthorization process can be found here.