The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Legislative Committee on June 15 updated the council on bills and policy developments in Washington, D.C. that could affect fisheries management and council operations, including possible Magnuson‑Stevens Act reauthorization and White House initiatives on seafood.

Why it matters: proposed statutory or executive changes covering the Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act or seafood policy could change which federal offices lead regulatory steps, affect survey and assessment funding, and shift the administrative context in which the councils operate.

Committee summary: Chris Oliver, Legislative Committee chair, told the council the committee met June 12 and heard from a contractor to the Council Coordination Committee. He said the committee discussed a July 2025 White House focus on seafood that seeks to identify the most heavily regulated U.S. fisheries and how that list could be used to streamline regulation. "There was a June 4 hearing by the House Natural Resources subcommittee on restoring American seafood competitiveness relative to EO," Oliver said, and he noted the CCC made remarks at that hearing.

On legislation, Oliver reported Congressman Huffman introduced a Magnuson reauthorization bill but said the committee expects limited movement this year; he added there was a realistic chance the Senate could produce a narrower reauthorization. "There is a chance the Senate could develop their own version of a Magnuson reauthorization bill, which would likely be more limited in scope," he said.

Executive branch and agency issues: the committee discussed recent executive orders directing reorganization of regulatory responsibilities. Oliver said the administration has discussed consolidating ESA and MMPA processes within the Department of the Interior and even raising the possibility of moving NOAA Fisheries under Interior — an idea that would require statutory change and faces practical hurdles. The committee flagged that such agency‑level shifts could change where expertise and decision‑making sit for fisheries and protected species.

Questions and next steps: Council members asked how the administration will define “heavily regulated” fisheries. Committee participants said the Department of Commerce is likely to publish criteria and a public comment process; initial staff discussions suggested the agency may look at relative declines in landings as one indicator. The committee recommended continued monitoring of congressional bills and the administration’s seafood EO tasks and reviewing opportunities for council comment when federal notices or rulemaking appear.

No formal council action was taken during the briefing; the Legislative Committee will continue to track these items and report back to the council.