S. 759, Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act

S. 759 would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to publish geographic data, within 31 months of enactment, identifying areas within the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) that are subject to regulatory restrictions on fishing, boating, diving, and other recreational activities. The data must be accessible on the agency’s website and updated at least twice a year. The EEZ is an area that is adjacent to the country’s coastal territorial sea and extends about 230 miles beyond the coastline.

Under current law, NOAA maintains and publishes data identifying area-based regulations related to fishing and marine sanctuaries and develops navigational and underwater mapping information for the EEZ. The agency also maintains a federal spatial database of managed fisheries in collaboration with the Regional Fishery Management Council Coordination Committee and the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. In 2024, NOAA allocated $101 million for those activities.

CBO expects that NOAA would build on its existing capabilities to develop geospatial data standards and classification strategies for identifying restricted areas, working with other federal agencies, tribes, state and local governments and interstate commissions.

Based on information from the agency, CBO expects that NOAA would need seven full-time equivalent staff in 2026 and five each year thereafter, at an average cost of $180,000 per employee. Those employees would be responsible for developing standards and compiling data into a digital, accessible, and interoperable geographic format. After accounting for anticipated inflation, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $5 million over the 2025-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Aurora Swanson. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.