Fisheries Modernization Act of 2025

This bill would expand federal disaster aid for fisheries to include certain freshwater fisheries, not just those in the ocean. It adds a new reason for aid: problems caused by the operation or failure of infrastructure like flood control systems, spillways, levees, or water diversions, when those problems disrupt fishing, harm habitat, or worsen water quality. It also makes clear that adding freshwater coverage does not reduce help for marine or anadromous (migrating) fisheries that already qualify.

The bill specifically calls out crawfish fisheries—red swamp crawfish and white river crawfish—by directing officials to consider things like hydrology, water quality, extreme flooding, and drought when deciding on disaster relief for them, and by explicitly including disasters that affect these crawfish fisheries.

• Who is affected: Freshwater fisheries and communities that rely on them, including crawfish fisheries.
• What changes: Adds “infrastructure-related” events as a reason to qualify for fishery disaster aid and clarifies information used for crawfish disaster decisions; keeps existing marine fishery aid intact.