Bill > HR1514

This bill establishes the Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission, a new inter-agency body designed to improve the management of fishery resources in the Mississippi River Basin, which covers 41 percent of the continental United States. The Commission will include representatives from 31 states, federal agencies, and Indian tribes, and will focus on collaborative management of fisheries, with a particular emphasis on controlling aquatic invasive species like invasive carps. The Commission will have a nonbinding authority and will oversee the management of six sub-basins through a strategic plan, develop inter-agency strategies for invasive species control, and administer both competitive and formula grant programs to support fishery conservation and research. Member entities can join voluntarily and can withdraw with six months' notice, and the Commission will be required to submit annual reports to Congress. The bill authorizes appropriations of $1 million for initial setup in fiscal year 2026, increasing to $30-50 million annually from 2027-2032 for management and grant programs, with the goal of promoting long-term biological and economic sustainability of fishery resources in the Mississippi River Basin.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1514/all-info