MAWS Act of 2025

The MAWS Act of 2025 creates a Blue Catfish Pilot Program under the Secretary of Commerce (subsequently executed through NOAA) to buy blue catfish caught in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed from watermen, and from seafood processors who bought from those watermen. The program provides financial awards to “covered entities” (manufacturers or processors of pet food, animal feed, or aquaculture feed) to purchase blue catfish. It is intended to support watermen and processors while gathering data on the fishery, the ecosystem, and the economic impact. The pilot runs from January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2029, with a total authorization of $2 million per fiscal year, and requires a comprehensive Congress-facing report within 180 days after the pilot ends. The bill also sets minimum purchase price guidance and allows up to 15% of awarded funds to offset transport costs. Key elements include eligibility rules (certifications that the fish were caught and sold within the watershed), a framework for applications, defined uses of grant funds (including a minimum purchase requirement and potential transport offsets), and an extensive set of required reporting on ecological, economic, and market outcomes, plus policy recommendations for potential expansion to other watersheds.