SB4938 is a bill in Congress (119th Congress): Bycatch Reduction Act.

What is the status of SB4938?

In committee as of September 16, 2026. Latest action: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. (September 16, 2026).

Where is the official record for SB4938?

On the Congress website: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/4938

U.S. Congress legislation · 119th Congress

SB4938: Bycatch Reduction Act

Q: What does SB4938 do?

In its own words: To reduce trawl gear impacts on bycatch and seafloor habitat in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska, to establish gear performance standards, seafloor contact detection, and salmon excluder requirements, to improve Council transparency and participation, to prioritize ecosystem analyses, to modernize electronic monitoring, to prohibit unsustainable foreign seafood imports, and to establish a Bycatch Mitigation and Habitat Protection Assistance Fund.

Status: In committee, September 16, 2026

A bill to reduce trawl gear impacts on bycatch and seafloor habitat in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska, to establish gear performance standards, seafloor contact detection, and salmon excluder requirements, to improve Council transparency and participation, to prioritize ecosystem analyses, to modernize electronic monitoring, to prohibit unsustainable foreign seafood imports, and to establish a Bycatch Mitigation and Habitat Protection Assistance Fund.

What the bill says

To reduce trawl gear impacts on bycatch and seafloor habitat in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska, to establish gear performance standards, seafloor contact detection, and salmon excluder requirements, to improve Council transparency and participation, to prioritize ecosystem analyses, to modernize electronic monitoring, to prohibit unsustainable foreign seafood imports, and to establish a Bycatch Mitigation and Habitat Protection Assistance Fund.

From the introduced text, June 24, 2026:

A BILL To reduce trawl gear impacts on bycatch and seafloor habitat in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska, to establish gear performance standards, seafloor contact detection, and salmon excluder requirements, to improve Council transparency and participation, to prioritize ecosystem analyses, to modernize electronic monitoring, to prohibit unsustainable foreign seafood imports, and to establish a Bycatch Mitigation and Habitat Protection Assistance Fund. SECTION 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Bycatch Reduction Act . SECTION 2. Ensuring mid-water nets do not operate like bottom trawl gear (a) In general The North Pacific Fishery Management Council shall-- (1) establish a pelagic trawl gear performance standard for vessels using pelagic trawl gear in fisheries managed under the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Groundfish Fishery Management Plan and Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (referred to in this section as applicable vessels ); and (2) implement enforceable regulations to manage gear impacts from such applicable vessels on benthic habitat and reduce unobserved mortality on important subsistence, commercial, or recreational species during fishing operations. (b) Establish a pelagic trawl gear baseline (1) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council shall use methods, such as gear design standards, model and field testing verification, sensors, …

SB4938: Bycatch Reduction Act

What the bill says

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