H.R. 4800

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4800 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4800

To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
to make certain freshwater fisheries eligible for fishery resource 
disaster relief.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 29, 2025

Mr. Higgins of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. Fields) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
to make certain freshwater fisheries eligible for fishery resource 
disaster relief.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Fisheries Modernization Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. CERTAIN FRESHWATER FISHERIES ELIGIBLE FOR FISHERY RESOURCE 
DISASTER RELIEF.

(a) In General.--Section 312(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861a(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 
``infrastructure-related cause,'' after ``discrete 
anthropogenic cause,'';
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) through (G) 
as subparagraphs (F) through (H), respectively; and
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the 
following:
``(E) Infrastructure-related cause.--The term 
`infrastructure-related cause' means an event--
``(i) caused by the operation or failure of 
Federal or State infrastructure, including--
``(I) flood control systems;
``(II) spillways;
``(III) levees; and
``(IV) diversions; and
``(ii) that results in measurable 
disruption to commercial or subsistence fishery 
activity, aquatic habitat, or water quality.'';
(2) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``, including with 
respect to the red swamp crawfish (Procambarus clarkii) and 
white river crawfish (Procambarus zonangulus) fisheries'' after 
``in accordance with this subsection'';
(3) in paragraph (3)(B)(v)--
(A) in subclause (III), by striking ``and'' at the 
end;
(B) in subclause (IV), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(V) with respect to the red swamp 
crawfish (Procambarus clarkii) and 
white river crawfish (Procambarus 
zonangulus) fisheries, information 
related to hydrological conditions, 
water quality degradation, extreme 
flooding or drought, or other 
environmental disruptions that directly 
impact viability.''; and
(4) in paragraph (5)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)--
(i) by redesignating clauses (iii) and (iv) 
as clauses (iv) and (v), respectively;
(ii) by inserting after clause (ii) the 
following:
``(iii) an infrastructure-related cause;''; 
and
(iii) in clause (iv), as so redesignated, 
by striking ``a combination of a natural cause 
and an anthropogenic cause'' and inserting 
``any combination of clauses (i) through 
(iii)''; and
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and 
safety,'' and inserting ``and safety, and including a 
disaster affecting the red swamp crawfish (Procambarus 
clarkii) and white river crawfish (Procambarus 
zonangulus) fisheries,''.
(b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed 
to limit, reduce, or otherwise affect the eligibility of any marine or 
anadromous fishery for fishery resource disaster assistance under 
section 312 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1861a).
<all>