The Bycatch Reduction and Research Act of 2026 directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to expand research and data collection efforts focused on reducing unwanted fish catch and protecting marine habitats in Alaskan fisheries, particularly in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska. The legislation establishes several key initiatives: it reconstitutes an Alaska Salmon Research Task Force to oversee research on salmon migration patterns and genetic sampling to better predict and avoid salmon bycatch; it requires ecosystem studies on how trawl fishing gear affects marine habitats and species; and it funds construction of a flume tank facility where fishing gear can be tested for effectiveness in reducing bycatch. The bill also streamlines approval processes for electronic monitoring systems and experimental fishing permits, with plans to integrate electronic monitoring data into fishery management decisions more efficiently. To help fishermen implement these improvements, the legislation creates a Bycatch Mitigation and Habitat Protection Assistance Fund administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to provide grants for purchasing or modifying fishing gear and technology, and authorizes $4 million annually from 2027 through 2031 for the existing Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program. NOAA must complete research reports and ecosystem analyses within three years of enactment and provide regular updates to Congress on progress.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.