Federal government maps where you can fish and boat in U.S. oceans
S. 759 — Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act · Filed by Ted Cruz (R-TX) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Feb 26, 2025 · Passed chamber
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What it does
This bill requires the federal government to create standardized, publicly accessible maps and databases showing where people can and cannot fish, boat, and recreate in U.S. ocean waters (the exclusive economic zone). The Secretary of Commerce must publish this information on a website within 4 years, update it regularly, and ensure it is easy to find and use—while protecting sensitive information like archaeological sites and commercial fishing data.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is standardization and public disclosure of geospatial data on recreational fishing and boating restrictions in federal waters. It is fundamentally an information-access and transparency measure, not a regulatory or appropriations instrument.
What the text implies
- Real-time updates to fishing restriction data may create operational pressure on NOAA/NMFS to maintain continuous data pipelines, potentially requiring sustained IT investment and staffing.
- Exemption for Tribal waters and usual-and-accustomed fishing areas preserves Tribal sovereignty but may create data gaps or inconsistencies in the public map, requiring users to consult separate Tribal sources.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
geospatial data technology firms; GIS software providers; web hosting and cloud infrastructure vendors