Sponsors (24)
The bill clarifies and expands support for fisheries management, commission funding, alternative marine fuel infrastructure, and lowers a bait-container excise tax—benefiting agencies, boat owners, and some businesses—while increasing federal costs, shifting grant dollars between recipients, and adding compliance burdens that could slow or redistribute projects.
State wildlife agencies, local governments, and rural communities gain clearer eligibility and authority under the Sport Fish Restoration Act and clearer grant rules, enabling faster, more effective fishery management projects and improved recreational fishing access.
Recreational vessel owners, marinas, and fuel producers can install or upgrade facilities to supply alternative marine fuels (e.g., renewable diesel, biodiesel blends), expanding fueling options and helping reduce marine emissions.
Interstate fisheries commissions receive a guaranteed minimum payment and a percentage-based allocation (0.0375% of appropriations or at least $100,000), giving commissions more predictable baseline funding to sustain coordination and core activities in lean years.
Taxpayers face higher net federal costs because the bill reduces excise revenue and can increase federal payments (to commissions and new infrastructure support), which could enlarge deficits or force cuts/redistributions elsewhere.
Some states, localities, or project types may receive less grant funding or relatively fewer resources because eligibility or allocation changes (including percentage-based commission allocations) can shift dollars between recipients.
State and local agencies, and small marina businesses, could face increased administrative and compliance costs (new requirements, ASTM fuel standards, reporting) that raise overhead and slow implementation of projects.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Introduced June 10, 2025 by Debbie Dingell · Last progress June 10, 2025
Changes to fish, boating, and related tax law that (1) revise and update provisions of the Sport Fish Restoration Act, (2) change how interstate fisheries commission funding is calculated, (3) expand eligible recreational boating infrastructure to include alternative marine fuel facilities and define fuel terms, and (4) cut the federal excise tax on portable electronically-aerated bait containers from 10% to 3% for items sold after enactment. Most amendments take effect upon enactment and the tax change applies to articles sold after the law is enacted. The bill affects federal program administrators (e.g., agencies that run sportfishing and boating grant programs), state fishery commissions and grant recipients, marinas and fuel providers that may install alternative marine fuel infrastructure, and manufacturers/importers/retailers of the specified bait containers.