American Seafood Competitiveness Act of 2026

This bill would let people and businesses in commercial fishing and fish processing qualify for Department of Agriculture farm ownership and farm operating loans, treating fishing vessels and fish processing facilities like farms for these loans. Fishers could use ownership loans only to buy fishing permits or vessels or to improve vessels, and operating loans only to run and maintain vessels. The bill would also make wild-caught fish and domestic seafood marketing eligible under a local food market grant program and let the Secretary waive or reduce matching funds for fishing and fish processing grant recipients. It would require the Department to bring the fishing industry into these programs within one year, and would let Farm Credit lenders extend credit to businesses that provide services to producers or harvesters of aquatic products.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Seth Magaziner Democrat sponsor
• 0 cosponsors