S. 759: Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act

The Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act would require the Commerce Department to build more consistent, public-facing digital maps for recreational use of federal ocean waters. In simple terms, it tells the government to organize and publish geospatial data showing fishing restrictions, boating limits, protected areas, and other access rules in the U.S. exclusive economic zone. The goal is to make it easier for the public to know what is allowed where before heading offshore.

The bill does not create new fishing closures or new ocean-use restrictions on its own. Instead, it focuses on transparency and usability. The Secretary of Commerce would have up to 31 months to develop data standards and up to 4 years to publish the main website, working through NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service. The site would need to be publicly accessible and built so data is searchable, reusable, and updated regularly.

A major practical effect would be better trip planning for recreational anglers, boaters, and divers. The website would need to show open and closed areas, vessel restrictions, marine protected areas, navigation and depth information, and what activities are allowed in different places. Some information would have to be updated twice a year, while boundary and protected-area data would be updated in real time. The bill also requires a public feedback process so users can report problems or ask questions.

The measure is also careful about limits. It says the government cannot publicly release certain sensitive information, including locations of cultural and archaeological resources and proprietary commercial fishing information. It also says the bill does not apply to Tribal waters or usual and accustomed Tribal fishing areas, and it does not change existing state, federal, or Tribal authority over fisheries or navigable waters. So this is mainly a data-access and coordination bill, not a regulatory rewrite.