North Pacific Fishery Management Council Representation Enhancement Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8598 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8598 To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to ensure representation for all fishery user groups on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 30, 2026 Mr. Begich 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 ensure representation for all fishery user groups on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 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 ``North Pacific Fishery Management Council Representation Enhancement Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) The North Pacific Fishery Management Council, established under section 302(a)(1)(G) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1852(a)(1)(G)), plays a critical role in managing fisheries in the Arctic Ocean, Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska seaward of Alaska, where diverse user groups--including recreational (sport) fishers, non-industrial commercial fishers, rural subsistence users, and urban subsistence users-- depend on sustainable fishery resources. (2) Current council composition, while requiring fair and balanced apportionment under section 302(b)(2)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1852(b)(2)(B)), does not mandate minimum representation for those specific user groups, leading to potential underrepresentation of recreational, non-industr