H.R. 3048 — Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act of 2025

This section defines six terms for purposes of the Act: (1) "Blue Economy" as the value and impact of sustainable industries related to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts on the U.S. economy, including living marine resources, marine construction and transportation, offshore energy and minerals, shipbuilding, tourism and recreation, fishing and seafood processing, aquaculture, coastal resilience, and other industries deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Commerce; (2) "Director of Sea Grant" as the Director of the National Sea Grant College Program; (3) "Indian Tribe" as defined in the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act; (4) "Native Hawaiian organization" as defined in the Native Hawaiian Education Act; (5) "Ocean Innovation Center for Cross-Sector Collaboration" as a physical space for collaboration developed and managed as described in section 3(i); and (6) "Ocean Innovation Cluster" as an eligible entity designated by the Secretary of Commerce under section 3.

This section directs the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Director of Sea Grant, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, to designate not fewer than 7 eligible entities as Ocean Innovation Clusters not later than 1 year after enactment of this Act. Eligible entities must be nonprofit-led consortia in concentrated geographic regions composed of businesses, academic institutions (including minority- and Tribal-serving institutions), nonprofits, government entities, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations that promote Blue Economy innovation, collaboration, and equitable growth; designations must prioritize entities with Blue Economy experience, ensure geographic diversity with at least one cluster in each of the 5 National Marine Fisheries Service regions, the Great Lakes region, and the Gulf of Mexico region, and consider factors such as economic potential, underserved areas, partnerships, job growth, and climate resilience. The section further requires agency partnership liaisons for each cluster; interagency coordination led by the Secretary of Commerce with specified departments and agencies (including Energy, Transportation, EPA, Interior, Agriculture, and Coast Guard) to support Blue Economy collaboration; refinement of the Marine Economy Satellite Account to measure cluster impacts; and coordination on focus areas including new entrant pathways, intellectual property management, and seafood supply chain sustainability.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Director of the National Sea Grant College Program and two Assistant Secretors of Commerce, to award competitive grants of up to $10 million each to ocean innovation clusters (as defined in the Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act of 2025) for their operation and administration, with the goal of enabling them to become membership-based and self-sustaining. Grants have an initial two-year term, are renewable for additional periods as needed to provide regional economic benefits, and are authorized at $10 million annually for FY2026 through FY2030.