Dingell pushes mass marking program to improve Great Lakes fishery data
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Summary
Representative Debbie Dingell urged passage of HR 1917 to expand mass marking of hatchery fish in the Great Lakes, saying broader tagging would improve survival and reproduction data used for fisheries management; witnesses and members highlighted the program's economic value for the region's $7 billion fishing economy.
Representative Debbie Dingell used her five‑minute sponsor time at the subcommittee hearing to press for HR 1917, the Great Lakes Mass Marking Program Act of 2025, saying the bill would expand tagging of hatchery fish so managers can better distinguish hatchery‑produced fish from wild stocks.
"Mass marking is the practice of tagging large numbers of hatchery raised fish so we can easily distinguish them from the wild fish population," Dingell told the panel. The bill would require mass marking across the Great Lakes and ensure the data are shared among federal, state and tribal fishery agencies.
Why it matters: The Great Lakes fishery supports commercial and recreational sectors. Dingell told the committee the Great Lakes fishing economy is valued at about $7,000,000,000 and that current tagging covers roughly 9 to 11 million of the 21 million fish stocked annually; the legislation would mark all hatchery produced fish to improve survival, movement and contribution estimates.
Technical details discussed: Dingell described the planned marking method as removing (clipping) the adipose fin combined with a coated‑wire tag (CWT) — "a CWT is 1.1 millimeter long stainless steel wire marked with serial numbers" — which allows recapture data to provide estimates of survival, growth and natural reproduction rates.
Supporting evidence and precedent: Dingell pointed to mass‑marking programs on the Pacific Coast for salmon and steelhead that have contributed to data‑driven management decisions and said broader marking in the Great Lakes would enable similar science‑based improvements.
Where it fits in the hearing: Members across party lines expressed interest in improving data for fisheries management. The subcommittee received the testimony and left the record open for follow‑up materials; no subcommittee vote occurred during the hearing.
Ending note: Advocates argue HR 1917 would give managers better tools to balance hatchery production with wild stock conservation and support a regionally important fishery economy.