HR 1917 · In committee · last action July 23, 2025
<p><strong>Great Lakes Mass Marking Program Act of 2025</strong></p><p>This bill provides statutory authority for a program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the mass marking of hatchery-produced fish in the Great Lakes basin. Mass marking is the practice of tagging large numbers of hatchery-produced fish in order to distinguish them from the wild fish population. The FWS initiated the program in 2010 on a limited scale. Under the existing program, the FWS (1) tags hatchery-produced fish stocked in the Great Lakes, and (2) produces data used by state and tribal fish management agencies to make management decisions regarding Great Lakes fisheries.</p><p>This bill allows the FWS, in carrying out the program, to (1) purchase items to support and carry out tagging and tag recovery operations on a greater scale, and (2) hire additional personnel.</p><p>The FWS must make the data collected under the program available to applicable federal, state, and tribal fish management agencies to</p><ul><li>increase the understanding of the outcomes of management action;</li><li>assist in meeting the restoration objectives of the Great Lakes;</li><li>assist in balancing predators and prey;</li><li>support and improve the economic status of tribal, recreational, and commercial fisheries; and</li><li>assist in evaluating the effectiveness of habitat restoration efforts in the Great Lakes.</li></ul>
Debbie Dingell (D-MI)
No votes recorded against this bill yet — vote coverage is a work in progress.
<p><strong>Great Lakes Mass Marking Program Act of 2025</strong></p><p>This bill provides statutory authority for a program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the mass marking of hatchery-produced fish in the Great Lakes basin. Mass marking is the practice of tagging large numbers of hatchery-produced fish in order to distinguish them from the wild fish population. The FWS initiated the program in 2010 on a limited scale. Under the existing program, the FWS (1) tags hatchery-produced fish stocked in the Great Lakes, and (2) produces data used by state and tribal fish management agencies to make management decisions regarding Great Lakes fisheries.</p><p>This bill allows the FWS, in carrying out the program, to (1) purchase items to support and carry out tagging and tag recovery operations on a greater scale, and (2) hire additional personnel.</p><p>The FWS must make the data collected under the program available to applicable federal, state, and tribal fish management agencies to</p><ul><li>increase the understanding of the outcomes of management action;</li><li>assist in meeting the restoration objectives of the Great Lakes;</li><li>assist in balancing predators and prey;</li><li>support and improve the economic status of tribal, recreational, and commercial fisheries; and</li><li>assist in evaluating the effectiveness of habitat restoration efforts in the Great Lakes.</li></ul>