Fisheries Science Modernization Act of 2026

S. 5273 — Fisheries Science Modernization Act of 2026 — would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to expand the use of environmental DNA (eDNA, genetic material collected from water, air, or sediment samples) in federal fisheries science. It requires a multi-year pilot study comparing eDNA sampling to existing survey methods in at least three fisheries, followed by an implementation plan and workforce/lab capacity building to integrate validated eDNA data into stock assessments. It also creates a "National Aquatic Biomolecular Coordination Network," a multi-agency body co-chaired by NOAA and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, to set national standards for eDNA collection and analysis across agencies. Separately, it exempts eDNA sample collection from being treated as a "taking" under the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, and amends the Magnuson-Stevens Act to direct incorporation of eDNA methods into fishery research where practicable.

The bill primarily affects NOAA, other federal science and environmental agencies, Regional Fishery Management Councils, Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander organizations, commercial fishermen, academic institutions, and private-sector eDNA labs and technology developers, who would be engaged as partners in the pilot studies and standard-setting process.

The bill was introduced in the Senate on August 6, 2026, by Sen. Lisa Murkowski with several cosponsors, read twice, and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. It would need to pass committee, the full Senate, the House, and be signed by the President to become law.

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