Witnesses urge Congress to create Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission for coordination, funding

Ben Batten, deputy director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and chair of the Mississippi Interstate Cooperative Resource Association, told a House Natural Resources subcommittee that Congress should authorize a Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission to manage interjurisdictional fisheries and curb invasive species. “The Mississippi River Basin is an ecosystem of immense global significance,” Batten said, stressing that the basin covers 31 states and more than 1.2 million square miles and supports extensive recreational and commercial fishing.

Batten described the commission—referred to in testimony as HR 15 14—as a voluntary, nonbinding partnership to be housed under the Department of the Interior that would not supersede state management. He said the plan would combine formula-based grants to state member entities with competitive grants for projects and research to provide predictable funding and allow states to hire interjurisdictional fisheries managers and biologists. “This predictable and stable funding is crucial for states to make long term investments in personnel and equipment,” Batten said.

Committee members questioned how the commission would improve coordination and resource levels compared with existing ad hoc arrangements. Batten pointed to earlier models such as the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the Gulf States commissions, saying those bodies have enabled data sharing, coordinated management, and invasive-species control. He argued that a formal, congressionally recognized structure would bring resources and clout necessary to operate at basin scale.

Supporters said the commission would focus on shared problems — habitat fragmentation, water quality, aquatic invasive species such as carp and zebra mussels — and would make grants available to states, tribes and eligible partners. Batten emphasized consensus-based decision making and reiterated that the commission’s authority would be nonbinding and would not displace sovereign state management.

The hearing record contains no final committee action on the authorization bill. Members asked witnesses for follow-up answers in writing, and the subcommittee left the record open for additional written questions.