Federal fishery disaster aid extended to crawfish

What does this do?

This bill adds freshwater crawfish fisheries to an existing federal disaster relief program that currently covers ocean and coastal fisheries. It creates a new eligible cause called "infrastructure-related," meaning damage from government flood control systems, levees, spillways, or water diversions can now trigger relief. Two crawfish species — red swamp crawfish and white river crawfish — are specifically named, and flooding, drought, and water quality problems can now be considered when assessing crawfish disasters.

Who does it affect?

Crawfish harvesters, commercial fishermen, and subsistence fishers who depend on these freshwater species are affected. Ocean and coastal fishermen are not affected, as their existing protections remain unchanged.

Why does it matter?

Without this change, crawfish fishermen affected by infrastructure failures or environmental events had no access to this federal disaster program. The bill creates a path for those harvesters to receive assistance when such events damage their fisheries.

Where does it stand?