Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act
The Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act seeks to make data about public outdoor recreational use of Federal waterways—especially the exclusive economic zone (EEZ)—standardized, published, and easily accessible. The core idea is to create consistent geospatial data about where fishing restrictions apply, where recreational boating and related activities are allowed or restricted, and how Federal waters (including marine protected areas) can be used. The bill directs the Secretary of Commerce, in collaboration with stakeholders, to develop data standards within 31 months and to publish comprehensive, user-friendly GIS (geographic information system) data on a public website within four years. The data would cover fishing restrictions, areas open or closed to recreational activities, propulsion or vessel restrictions, and details about federally protected areas and what activities are permitted there. The act also requires ongoing navigation-related data (bathymetry, depth charts, etc.) to be made available, with updates frequency and public input mechanisms. A key theme is interagency and cross-sector collaboration to ensure data interoperability across federal, state, and tribal jurisdictions, while protecting sensitive information (such as archaeological resources and proprietary fishing data). The bill includes a public comment process and real-time or near-real-time updates for certain data, but it explicitly preserves tribal waters and usual/accustomed fishing areas from the data dissemination scope. It does not alter navigable waters definitions or federal/state authority to manage fisheries, and it clarifies that the new data system must respect existing laws and treaties.
Key Points
- 1Data standardization requirement: The Secretary, within 31 months, must develop and adopt standards for coordinating and disseminating geospatial data on fishing restrictions, EEZ recreational vessel use, and access to Federal waters, with input from states, tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, and other stakeholders.
- 2Public data publication: Within four years, the Secretary (via the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Office of Science and Technology) must publish publicly accessible GIS data showing (a) fishing restrictions and areas open/closed to recreational activities in the EEZ; (b) areas with propulsion, horsepower, or fuel restrictions; (c) vessel type restrictions; (d) geographic boundaries of fishing-restriction areas; and (e) federally protected areas and what activities are allowed there.
- 3Navigation and related data: The Act requires ongoing publication of digitized navigation data for EEZ access (navigation information, bathymetry, depth charts, etc.), and to publish this data on the same public site to the extent practicable, with updates as data becomes available.
- 4Accessibility and public engagement: The Secretary must ensure the data are findable, interoperable, and reusable, include a mechanism for users to receive updates, and establish a process for public questions and comments to improve data accessibility.
- 5Updates and timing: Data on fishing restrictions and navigation-related data must be updated at least twice per year; data on the boundaries of restrictions and the MPAs, and related activity allowances, must be updated in real time.
- 6Cooperation and coordination: The Secretary may partner with non-Federal entities (including states, tribes, interjurisdictional commissions, regional ocean partnerships, academic and private-sector entities) and may enter into agreements with experts to carry out the Act’s provisions. The Secretary must coordinate with multiple federal agencies to ensure data compatibility and interoperability, and must respect applicable laws of the federal government, states, and tribes.
- 7Limitations and protections: The Act preserves existing definitions of navigable waters, federal/state regulatory authorities, tribal rights and treaties, and does not expand fisheries authority or require government-to-government consultation beyond existing requirements.