S 759119th CongressIntroduced

Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act

Introduced: Feb 26, 2025

Environment & ClimateTechnology & Innovation

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act would require the federal government to standardize, publish, and publicly share geospatial data about how the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is used for recreation and fishing, as well as where fishing restrictions and vessel access are in effect. The goal is to make information about where recreational boating, diving, and related activities are allowed or restricted, the locations of fishing restrictions, and the boundaries of federal protected waters easily accessible via a public GIS (geographic information system) website. The act also directs ongoing data publication, updates, and public input, with coordinated work across federal agencies, states, tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, and other partners. It preserves tribal waters and customary fishing areas from the publication requirements and clarifies that existing navigable-water jurisdictions and treaty rights are not altered.

Key Points

1Data standards: The Secretary must, within 31 months, establish standards for coordinating and disseminating geospatial data on fishing restrictions, recreational use of the EEZ, and access to federal waters, in collaboration with states, tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, and other stakeholders.
2Public data publication: Within 4 years, the Secretary (via NMFS’s Office of Science and Technology) must publish publicly accessible GIS data showing (a) where fishing restrictions and recreational access in the EEZ apply, (b) areas with propulsion or vessel-use restrictions, and (c) federal marine protected areas and what activities are allowed there.
3Ongoing navigation and bathymetry data: The Secretary will continue to provide digitized navigation, bathymetric, and depth-chart data for EEZ access, and strive to publish these on the same website as the other data, as practicable.
4Accessibility and updates: The website must be organized for findability and interoperability, with a mechanism to alert users to new data; data should be updated at least twice a year for fishing/recreational-use data and in real time for protected areas and related activity data.
5Public involvement and coordination: The Secretary must create a process for public questions and comments about the data and its accessibility; the act also requires coordination with multiple federal agencies and across interagency and non-federal partners to ensure compatibility with other databases and respect applicable laws.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Recreational users (boaters, divers, anglers, and other outdoor enthusiasts) and the general public who rely on accessible, standardized information about where and how the EEZ can be used for recreation and fishing.Secondary group/area affected- Federal, state, and tribal governments; Tribal waters and usual or accustomed fishing areas; Native Hawaiian organizations; regional ocean partnerships; private sector and academic institutions involved in geospatial data, mapping, and coastal management.Additional impacts- Data governance and infrastructure: creation of standardized data practices and a public GIS portal; potential costs and technical needs for agencies and partners to implement and maintain data integration and interoperability.- Policy and legal considerations: adherence to existing navigable-waters definitions, fisheries management authority, treaty rights, and tribal sovereignty; nondisclosure provisions to protect sensitive cultural, historic, archaeological, or proprietary commercial fishing information.- Economic and planning implications: improved public planning for recreation and tourism, more transparent management of protected areas, and potential changes in how recreational access is described and perceived.- Interagency and external collaboration: strengthened collaboration among federal agencies, states, Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, academia, and industry to maintain up-to-date, useful data.Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): The sea zone extending up to 200 nautical miles from a country’s coast, within which the country has special rights for exploring and using marine resources.Geographic Information System (GIS): A computer system that captures, stores, analyzes, and presents spatial or geographic data.Federal marine protected areas: Includes National Marine Sanctuaries, national marine monuments, and other federally protected waters with specific rules on activities like fishing and recreation.Nondisclosure: The bill would limit public release of certain sensitive information (e.g., details about archaeological resources or proprietary commercial fishing information) consistent with law.

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