2025 Freshwater Policy Recap

From Capitol Hill to state capitals across the country, 2025 witnessed new challenges and opportunities for ASA’s freshwater portfolio. From the passage of key mapping legislation to the defeat of a push to sell public lands, ASA notched wins on issues that will support sportfishing long-term. However, new challenges to live bait and fishing access emerged, requiring ASA and industry members to remain vigilant and engaged.

In late December, President Trump signed into law H.R. 187, the MAPWaters Act. The bill, which built on the success of the MAPLand Act by coordinating digitized mapping and recreational information across federal land management agencies, passed the Senate under unanimous consent earlier in the month. MAPWaters requires the Fish & Wildlife Service, the US Forest Service, National Park Service and other Interior agencies to publish information on restricted areas of waterways, fishing restrictions requiring barbless hooks or catch-and-release, and permitted watercraft and horsepower restrictions. With digitized standards, anglers will soon be able to access this spatial regulatory information through marine electronics and mapping apps. We look forward to continuing to advance parallel legislation that would extend these requirements to NOAA and the Army Corps.

ASA additionally cheered the introduction of several bills addressing the impacts of aquatic invasive species (AIS) on recreational fisheries. The Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission Act, led by Representatives Mike Ezell (R-MS) and Troy Carter (D-LA), and Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), was introduced in each chamber in February. The bill would establish a fishery commission, modeled after that of the Great Lakes, to coordinate invasive Asian carp control while supporting management of the Basin’s bass, walleye and crappie. A hearing in November showcased strong, bipartisan support for the bill, and continued Congressional support for Mississippi River Basin anglers.

ASA continues to advocate for other legislation addressing AIS. In July, Representatives Sarah Elfreth (D-MD) and Rob Wittman (R-VA) introduced the MAWS Act, which would establish a pilot program to support the harvest and processing of invasive blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay. We also continue to advocate for the priorities identified in the AIS Commission report, and are working towards the introduction of bipartisan legislation to modernize outdated federal AIS policy that inhibits access and impedes management.

Additionally, in June, anglers celebrated the defeat of a provision in the budget reconciliation package that would have sold hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands. With the proposed sale threatening access to prized coldwater fisheries throughout western states, anglers rallied to send over 1,750 KeepAmericaFishing action alerts to Senate offices in opposition.

Last year also witnessed new challenges. A European animal rights group, Upstream Policies, introduced legislation and petition efforts in several states to enact stringent regulations on live baitfish. The group, which seeks to ban all live baitfish usage, advocated for bans on the interstate sale of live bait under the guise of invasive species concerns, introducing legislation in New Hampshire and New York and a citizen’s petition in Colorado. While these efforts were fortunately defeated, we anticipate Upstream Policies will again push for restrictions in 2026. As this animal rights campaign targets new states, ASA published a report detailing this group’s efforts, and is working with state fish and wildlife agencies and legislators to raise awareness and oppose these restrictions.

This new group did not present the only state-level challenge to recreational anglers, as ASA opposed, and defeated, a renewed effort in Minnesota to ban the sale, use and manufacture of traditional lead sinkers and jigs. Furthermore, ASA opposed proposals to open Great Lakes recreational fisheries to commercial harvest, as Wisconsin advanced rulemaking towards the establishment of a lake trout commercial fishery in Lake Michigan. With legislation intending to restrict fishing access proposed in Tennessee, and considered in Utah, we worked with members and local partner groups to voice opposition to these policies. Continued threats to scientific state fish and wildlife management also emerged, as ASA worked to defeat a New Hampshire bill that would have removed management authority from the state Fish and Game Department’s Commission.

Looking ahead, 2026 figures to be another busy year for ASA and recreational fishing policy. Between the Farm Bill, the Water Resources Development Act and a suite of AIS legislation, ASA will be busy on Capitol Hill advocating for access and fisheries conservation. With live bait and traditional tackle likely to again be under siege in various state capitals, ASA will be working to defeat these proposals and ensure anglers have choice in the tackle and bait they use.