Aquatic Biodiversity Preservation Act of 2025

This bill would set up a national program to map the DNA (genomes) of aquatic species. The Commerce Department would work with partners (called “covered entities”) to find verified specimens, collect samples, do lab work, and sequence DNA to high-quality standards. The program would store and share the data, help partners with funding and technical support, and follow FAIR data principles for how information is managed and shared. The goal is to boost science, conservation, management, and enforcement for aquatic life.

Most DNA data must be sent to the National Center for Biotechnology Information within 360 days, including details like species, where and when the sample was taken, and how it was sequenced. Tribal Governments get a special choice: they decide whether and when to share their sequencing data. The program would be funded at $2,000,000 per year from 2025 through 2031 and would start 180 days after it becomes law.

• Who is affected: The Commerce Department; partners that take part in the program; Tribal Governments (with special control over their data).
• What changes: A new program to sequence aquatic species’ DNA, build a public data library, and support partners with funding and technical help, following FAIR data rules.
• When: Data sharing within 360 days of sequencing; funding from 2025–2031; the program starts 180 days after enactment.