Why It Matters

The federal government has appropriated nearly $2.1 billion for fishery disaster relief since 1994, according to files.gao.gov, yet Congress must approve emergency funds each time a crisis strikes. A recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report examines how the federal government provides financial assistance to fishing communities, commercial fishers, and fishing-dependent businesses when a fishery resource disaster occurs. Fishing communities are dependent on Congress appropriating emergency funds on an ad hoc basis for fishery disaster relief. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is among NOAA line offices facing reduced funding requests in the current Administration's budget.

The Big Picture

Fishery resource disasters can be triggered by natural events such as hurricanes, floods, and algal blooms, as well as anthropogenic causes such as pollution and habitat destruction. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) compiles data and leads the fishery disaster determination process, which can be initiated when the Governor of a state, the Secretary of Commerce, or a representative of a fishing community requests a fishery disaster determination.

Once a fishery disaster is declared, the Secretary of Commerce is authorized to release appropriated funds for relief. Fishery disaster assistance may take the form of grants, direct payments, cooperative agreements, loans, or contracts, often channeled through states or regional commissions such as the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission or the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission.

There is no permanent or standing fund for fishery disaster relief. Since 1994, a total of 138 different fishery disaster determinations have been made. Approximately 34 percent of those cases were declared under both the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act.

Fisheries subject to overfishing in any of the three years prior to a determination are generally not eligible for disaster assistance, unless the Secretary finds overfishing was not a contributing factor. Any qualifying cause for a fishery disaster must have occurred no more than five years prior to the request for determination.

The Bottom Line

Recent legislative efforts have attempted to streamline the system. The 2022 Fishery Resource Disasters Improvement Act modernized and tightened the fishery disaster process with specific definitions, timelines, and revenue thresholds, and the 2025 Fishery Improvement to Streamline untimely regulatory Hurdles post Emergency Situation Act modernized and tightened the fishery disaster process. Yet a Government Accountability Office report found ongoing challenges with the timeliness and communication of the fishery disaster process, with NMFS working to automate parts of its internal system to address timeliness challenges. As of June 2026, NOAA Fisheries lists active pending determinations, including tribal Yukon River salmon fisheries for 2023–2025.

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