Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2025

This bill would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create a pilot program for purchasing invasive blue catfish caught in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Under the program, NOAA would partner with manufacturers of pet food, animal feed, or aquaculture feed to facilitate these purchases from local watermen and seafood processors at established minimum prices. Additionally, the bill would require NOAA to work with nonfederal partners to develop and publish public estimates regarding the abundance of blue catfish in the region.

This bill directly affects watermen and seafood processors operating within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed who catch or process blue catfish. It also impacts manufacturers of pet food, animal feed, and aquaculture feed through cooperative agreements for the purchase of these fish. Additionally, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and its nonfederal partners are responsible for implementing the pilot program and developing species abundance estimates.

• Establishment of a blue catfish pilot program. Requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create a pilot program for the purchase of invasive blue catfish caught within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
• Cooperative agreements for animal feed production. Directs NOAA to enter into agreements with manufacturers of pet food, animal feed, or aquaculture feed to facilitate the purchase of blue catfish from watermen and seafood processors.
• Price determination for catfish purchases. Requires NOAA to set minimum prices per pound for fillets and byproducts based on market factors and feedback from program participants, watermen, and processors.
• Blue catfish abundance estimates. Mandates a memorandum of understanding with nonfederal partners to estimate the abundance of blue catfish in the watershed, with the first estimate required before the pilot program begins.

The pilot program for blue catfish purchases may only begin after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration makes the first abundance estimate of the species in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed publicly available.

The bill aims to manage the invasive blue catfish population in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed by establishing a pilot program to facilitate its purchase for use in animal and aquaculture feed. It also seeks to improve data on the species by requiring the development of official abundance estimates in coordination with nonfederal partners.