H.R. 1514 — Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission Act of 2025

This section designates the Act as the "Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission Act of 2025" and sets forth the table of contents.

This section states congressional findings concerning the Mississippi River Basin's fishery resources, including its status as the largest U.S. watershed (covering 1.2 million square miles and 41% of the continental U.S.), the economic and cultural value of its fisheries, existing interstate partnerships such as the Mississippi Interstate Cooperative Resource Association (MICRA), and the need for a Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission to coordinate interjurisdictional management, invasive species control (e.g., invasive carps), and long-term sustainability.

This section defines terms used in the Act, including “aquatic invasive species,” “Commission” (i.e., the Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission established under section 4), “director of fisheries,” “eligible entity” (i.e., state fishery regulators, Indian tribes as defined in 25 U.S.C. 5304, and specified federal agencies), “fishery resource,” “interjurisdictional fishery resource,” “invasive carp” (i.e., bighead, black, grass, and silver carp), “member entity,” “Mississippi River Basin State” (i.e., 29 specified states), and “Secretary” (i.e., the Secretary of the Interior).

This section establishes the Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission in the Department of the Interior. Eligible entities may join the commission by notifying the executive director and existing members in writing of their intent to join.

This section establishes governance for the Commission by (1) designating voting delegates for member entities—state directors of fisheries for states and appointees for federal agencies and Indian tribes; (2) making the Commission a body corporate and directing member entities to establish its governance structure; (3) authorizing appointment of a full-time executive director and staff without voting rights to handle administrative duties; (4) requiring election of a chair and vice chair from member entities; (5) directing adoption of rules for business conduct, establishment of offices in the Mississippi River Basin, and meetings at least annually; (6) basing recommendations and actions on a majority vote of member entities while striving for unanimity and operating by consensus; and (7) exempting the Commission from the Federal Advisory Committee Act (chapter 10 of title 5, U.S. Code).

This section directs the Commission to oversee management plans and actions for six Mississippi River sub-basins (Arkansas-Red-White, Lower Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee-Cumberland, and Upper Mississippi) to ensure long-term biologic and economic sustainability of interjurisdictional fisheries (i.e., fish stocks that cross state lines). The section further requires the Commission (1) to adopt the MICRA Joint Strategic Plan for Management of Mississippi River Fisheries—approved by 28 basin states—as its management framework and to research and implement best scientific methods for conservation; (2) to develop inter-agency strategies to prevent and control invasive carps and other aquatic invasive species; (3) to consult with and advise relevant agencies on fisheries problems and recommend regulations; and (4) not later than 30 years after enactment, to reexamine the plan with the Secretary of the Interior, update it as needed, and report to Congress on fishery populations and invasive species control.

This section directs the Commission, not later than two years after enactment of this Act and in consultation with the Secretary, to establish (1) a competitive grant program to award grants to entities for eligible projects and (2) a formula grant program to award grants to state member entities for eligible interjurisdictional fisheries projects consistent with Commission recommendations or the Joint Strategic Plan under section 6(b)(1). Both grant types are available to state member entities, while competitive grants are also available to private entities, federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, and partnerships thereof. For competitive grants, the Commission must give priority to applicants providing non-Federal matching funds of at least 10% of the grant amount (cash or in-kind), and the Commission determines formula grant amounts annually for each state member entity. Grant recipients must use funds consistent with the Joint Strategic Plan and relevant fishery management plans (for competitive grants) or Commission recommendations or the Joint Strategic Plan (for formula grants) and only for projects, research, personnel, work, and programs located wholly or partially in a Mississippi River Basin state; up to 5% of funds may be used for administrative costs. Not later than one year after grant disbursement, the Commission Chair must submit to Congress a report identifying grantees and grant amounts, describing uses of funds, and detailing enhancements to management and sustainability of Mississippi River Basin interjurisdictional fisheries.

This section declares the Commission's authority to be nonbinding and provides a rule of construction clarifying that the Act does not limit any member state's powers to enact or repeal state laws or to impose and enforce additional fishery conservation requirements within its borders.

This section requires a member entity intending to withdraw from the Commission to submit written notice of intent to the Commission and each other member entity not later than 6 months before the withdrawal date.

This section requires the Commission to submit to Congress, by September 1 each year after enactment, a report on its activities during the previous year.

This section authorizes appropriations for the Commission as follows: (1) $1 million for FY2026 to carry out initial administrative steps necessary to set up operations, house, and administer the Commission; (2) for carrying out sections 6 and 7, $30 million for each of FY2027 through FY2029 and $50 million for each of FY2030 through FY2032, to remain available until expended; and (3) $500,000 for each of FY2026 through FY2032 to the Secretary of the Interior for housing the Commission, to remain available until expended.