Bill · S. 4938· Senate(119-S-4938)
Bycatch Reduction Act
- Introduced
- 6/24/2026
- Last activity
- 9/16/2026 — Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Sponsored by
- Dan Sullivan
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Bycatch Reduction Act aims to reduce the impact of trawl gear on seafloor habitats and bycatch in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska. It establishes performance standards and gear requirements, such as seafloor contact detection and salmon excluders, to protect marine species. The bill mandates increased transparency and public participation within the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. It also prioritizes ecosystem analyses and salmon life history research to better understand and protect fish populations. Additionally, the act prohibits unsustainable foreign seafood imports and modernizes electronic monitoring systems. Finally, it creates a fund to support the development and implementation of cleaner fishing technologies.
Yes· 3 of 5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+8
The bill mandates public access to Council meetings, webcasts, and transcripts to increase transparency.
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+7
The bill significantly enhances environmental protections by mandating gear standards to reduce seafloor habitat impact and salmon bycatch.
Does this put more money into scientific research?+6
The bill funds research into salmon life history, ecosystems, and bycatch reduction technology.
The opposite
Would business owners be better off under this?-4
Fishing vessel owners face increased regulatory burdens and potential compliance costs for new gear requirements.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Transparency and Public Access: The bill requires Council meetings to be recorded and makes webcasts, audio, or transcripts available online, which increases public oversight (Section 4).
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Enhanced Participation in Decision-Making: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council must update its public comment policy to include a minimum 4-week comment period before meetings (Section 4).
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Support for Research and Species Protection: The Act reconstitutes the Bycatch Reduction Task Force and funds salmon life history research, including satellite tagging, to better understand and protect salmon populations (Section 6).
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Financial Assistance for Fishing Innovation: The Bycatch Mitigation and Habitat Protection Assistance Fund provides grants or financial assistance to fishermen and industry organizations to purchase or modify gear and technology (Section 8, Section 10).
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Improved Data and Monitoring: The bill seeks to modernize electronic monitoring and create a data integration strategy to reduce the time between data collection and its management application (Section 9).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Increased Regulatory Burdens on Vessels: Vessels using pelagic trawl gear may be required to equip themselves with seafloor contact detection systems (Section 2) and salmon excluder devices (Section 5).
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Potential Fishing Restrictions: The Administrator may implement regulations that include reductions in fishing effort or prohibitions on fishing in certain areas (Section 2).
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Compliance Costs and Penalties: Vessels that fail to comply with new gear requirements or regulations are subject to penalties and sanctions under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Section 2, Section 3, Section 5).
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Strict Requirements for Nonpelagic Gear: Vessels using nonpelagic trawl gear must comply with new gear performance standards and may be required to use modified footropes and trawl sweeps (Section 3).
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Import Restrictions: The bill prohibits the importation of seafood from foreign vessels or owners unless the fishery is determined to be comparable to national conservation standards, and such seafood can be seized (Section 7).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+8Increases Federal Power+3
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+7
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+6
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Native Americans+5Good For Business Owners-4
- 9/16/2026
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- 6/24/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Introduced in Senate