Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission Act of 2025

This bill would create a Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission inside the Department of the Interior to help states, tribes, and federal agencies work together on fish and fishing across the Mississippi River watershed. The basin covers about 41% of the continental U.S., spans waters in 31 states, and supports subsistence, commercial, and recreational fishing. The commission would coordinate work on shared fish populations and fight invasive species like invasive carp, using a joint plan already adopted by 28 states and focusing on six major sub‑basins.

States, federal agencies, and Indian tribes can join and have a voting delegate. Its decisions are advisory and nonbinding, so states keep the power to make and enforce their own laws, and any member can leave with six months’ notice. The commission must report to Congress each year by September 1. Within two years, it must start grant programs to fund projects and research in basin states, with priority for proposals that bring at least a 10% non‑federal match; grantees may use up to 5% for admin costs. Funding is authorized as follows: $1 million in FY2026 to set up the commission; $30 million each year for FY2027–FY2029 and $50 million each year for FY2030–FY2032 for management and grants; plus $500,000 each year from FY2026–FY2032 to house the commission.

• Who is affected: People and agencies in the 31 Mississippi River Basin states, anglers and fishing businesses, and participating federal agencies and tribes.
• What changes: A new regional commission coordinates across state lines, uses a shared plan, targets invasive carp and other aquatic invasive species, oversees six sub‑basins, and runs formula and competitive grants for projects in basin states that align with the plan.
• When: Grants begin within two years; annual reports are due each year by September 1; the plan is re‑examined in 30 years; funding runs from FY2026 through FY2032.