Great Lakes Mass Marking Program Act of 2025

## Summary The Great Lakes Mass Marking Program Act of 2025 establishes a federal program to track hatchery-produced fish in the Great Lakes using advanced tagging technology. The bill aims to address ecological challenges like invasive species, disrupted food webs, and declining prey populations by improving data collection on stocked fish. By analyzing this data, state, tribal, and federal agencies can make science-based decisions about fish stocking rates, species recovery, and habitat restoration. The program, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, emphasizes collaboration with regional stakeholders and ensures data is shared to support economic stability for fisheries and ecosystem health. The program builds on a smaller tagging initiative started in 2010, expanding it to cover approximately 21 million hatchery fish stocked annually in the Great Lakes. By using automated technology to mark fish, agencies can better understand how hatchery fish interact with wild populations, assess the success of stocking efforts, and adjust management strategies. This data-driven approach is intended to balance predator-prey relationships, rehabilitate native species, and sustain the Great Lakes’ $7 billion regional economy tied to fishing and tourism. ## Key Points - Program Establishment: Creates the Great Lakes Mass Marking Program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to tag hatchery fish and analyze their role in the ecosystem. - Authorized Funding: Allocates $5 million annually from 2026–2030 to purchase equipment, tags, and hire personnel for tagging operations. - Collaboration Requirements: Mandates coordination with federal, state, and tribal agencies, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, and the Joint Strategic Plan for Management of Great Lakes Fisheries. - Data Sharing: Requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide collected data to stakeholders to inform fisheries management, species recovery, and habitat restoration. - Purpose of Marking: Helps track hatchery fish survival, movement, and interactions with wild populations to optimize stocking practices and ensure sustainable fisheries. ## Impact Areas - Primary: Federal, state, and tribal fish management agencies in Great Lakes states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Wisconsin), which will use data to guide decisions. - Secondary: The Great Lakes ecosystem, as improved tracking supports balanced predator-prey dynamics and habitat restoration. - Additional: Recreational and commercial fishing industries, which benefit from healthier fish populations, and conservation efforts aimed at native species recovery. *Note: The bill’s title contains a likely typo (“Mass Marketing” instead of “Mass Marking”), which is corrected in this summary based on context.*