Fisheries Data Modernization and Accuracy Act of 2025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 5699 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5699 To require the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to reform the Marine Recreational Information Program of the National Marine Fisheries Service, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 6, 2025 Mr. Rutherford introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to reform the Marine Recreational Information Program of the National Marine Fisheries Service, and for other purposes. 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 Data Modernization and Accuracy Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, acting through the Director of the National Marine Fisheries Service. (2) Fishery.--The term ``fishery'' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802). (3) Independent entity.--The term ``independent entity''-- (A) means an entity that-- (i) is not a unit of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and (ii) has expertise in areas of science related to fishery stock assessments; and (B) includes-- (i) the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and (ii) an institution of higher education (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)). (4) MRIP.--The term ``MRIP'' means the Marine