NMMA - National Marine Manufacturers Association Inc.
07/27/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/27/2026 08:43
NMMA Applauds Progress on Bipartisan Legislation Combatting Whale Strikes and Aquatic Invasive Species
On July 21, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries held a legislative hearing on two bills strongly supported by the recreational boating industry: H.R. 7332 Whale CHARTS Act of 2026 (Whale CHARTS Act) and H.R. 8876 Aquatic Invasive Species Control and Prevention Act of 2026 (AIS Act). Taken together, these two pieces of legislation will help make boating on American waterways safer, support conservation efforts across the nation, and support access to the nation's waterways.
Whales CHARTS Act
The Whale CHARTS Act takes an innovative and constructive approach to mitigating the risk of vessel strikes by investing in improved data and supporting the development and deployment of whale detection and awareness technologies. By strengthening the scientific foundation for decision-making and supporting tools that can be applied on the water, the legislation advances meaningful conservation outcomes while helping preserve the ability of the public to safely recreate on the water.
In 2024, the Vessel Strike Avoidance Fund was established to accelerate technologies to detect and communicate the location of marine mammals, yet it requires consistent authority and reliable funding to succeed. This bill would ensure that NOAA continues its partnership with industry and prioritizes supporting and expanding this fund to ensure that practical, outcome-driven solutions are implemented at scale.
AIS Act
NMMA is supportive of the AIS Act because aquatic invasive species damage fisheries, aquatic habitat, water infrastructure and recreation access. The bill would strengthen prevention, improve rapid response and bolster research and state-led management efforts to help protect waterways, fisheries, boating access and the outdoor recreation economies that depend on them.
"Recreational boating and fishing depend on healthy, accessible waterways, and aquatic invasive species pose a serious threat to both," said Frank Hugelmeyer, President and CEO of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). "The Aquatic Invasive Species Control and Prevention Act takes an important step toward modernizing our federal response, strengthening state-led management, and helping prevent costly infestations before they damage fisheries, boating access, and the outdoor recreation economy. NMMA appreciates Representatives Walberg and Elfreth's bipartisan leadership on this issue and looks forward to working with Congress to advance practical solutions that protect our waterways and the businesses and communities that rely on them."
The AIS Act also includes provisions related to watercraft inspection and decontamination planning, including developing reciprocal recognition of watercraft inspections, so boaters who have already been cleared are not unnecessarily delayed when accessing the water. It would also develop incentives for manufacturers to develop innovative designs that further reduce the unwanted transfer of aquatic nuisance species and standing water.
NMMA members can learn more about the legislation and its impact on the recreational boating industry by contacting Cameron Nelson, Senior Manager of Federal Relations, at [email protected]
NMMA - National Marine Manufacturers Association Inc. published this content on July 27, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 27, 2026 at 14:44 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]