Protect American Fisheries Act of 2025

The Protect American Fisheries Act of 2025 amends the Magnuson-Stevens Act to expand the definition of "fishery resource disaster" to include "economic cause." This means U.S. fisheries affected by foreign activities - such as illegal fishing, predatory pricing, or harmful subsidies that distort markets or disrupt sustainable harvests - can now qualify for disaster assistance. The bill requires documentation of how foreign actors' actions specifically harm U.S. fishing communities' operational or economic viability. It directly affects U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries facing market disruptions from foreign entities, enabling them to access federal aid previously limited to natural or anthropogenic disasters.