Sponsors (3)
Official title: To implement the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 5, 2025 by Jared Huffman · Last progress May 5, 2025
The bill substantially strengthens protections, coordination, and enforcement to recover albatrosses and petrels and reduce bycatch, but does so at the cost of greater regulatory complexity, higher compliance and administrative costs, and increased legal risks for fishers, agencies, and taxpayers.
Federal agencies, fishery managers, and enforcement officers get clearer statutory definitions and explicit enforcement authority—reducing ambiguity about which albatrosses/petrels and habitats are covered and who may enforce protections.
Coastal and island communities, researchers, and conservation groups will benefit from expanded research, monitoring, interagency coordination, reporting, training, technical assistance, and international cooperation to restore albatross and petrel populations and improve ecosystem health.
Commercial fishers and coastal communities gain clearer bycatch rules and limited exemptions tied to bycatch-minimization measures and emergency rescues, reducing legal uncertainty for lawful fishing operations and enabling prompt care of injured birds.
Commercial fishers, vessel operators, and small coastal businesses face increased compliance costs and operational burdens because broad definitions, expanded protections, gear/practice restrictions, and new reporting/permit requirements widen regulatory reach.
Federal and state agencies may need additional funding or must reallocate staff/time to implement monitoring, reporting, training, outreach, and international programs—creating budgetary pressure, possible delays, or diversion from other priorities.
Expanded civil and criminal penalties and cross-reference to statutes like Magnuson-Stevens and the MBTA increase legal exposure and risk of fines or prosecution for fishers, vessel operators, and other individuals working on or near the water.
Based on analysis of 16 sections of legislative text.
Implements the Albatrosses and Petrels Agreement by authorizing U.S. conservation measures, take prohibitions/permits, enforcement, reporting, and international cooperation to protect listed seabirds.
Establishes U.S. authorities, prohibitions, permitting, enforcement, reporting, and international cooperation to implement the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels. It directs Interior (USFWS) and Commerce (NOAA/NMFS) to carry out coordinated conservation measures—including habitat protection, invasive species control, bycatch reduction, monitoring, permitting for limited take, and enforcement—applies to U.S. lands, waters, vessels, and nationals, and sets an effective date 180 days after enactment.