WASHINGTON—The House passed H.R. 9436, the Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act of 2026, led by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), to protect American fishermen from burdensome new regulations while giving regulators more time to develop science-based protections for the North Atlantic right whale.

House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) and Rep. Mike Lawler released the following statements:

“Washington should not put thousands of American jobs at risk just to meet an arbitrary deadline,” Chairwoman McClain said. “Good policy means listening to the people who know these waters, following the best science, and getting it right. We can protect our natural resources without destroying the livelihoods of the Americans who depend on them.”

“While this legislation is particularly important to Maine’s fishing communities, the Northeast lobster industry supports small businesses and hardworking families far beyond the coastline, including restaurants here in New York,” Rep. Lawler said. “Fishermen have spent years adapting to conservation requirements and deserve regulatory certainty instead of constantly shifting rules that threaten their ability to operate and plan for the future. I’m grateful to Congressman Jared Golden for his partnership on this bipartisan effort and to the Natural Resources Committee for their support. We are proud to see this bill pass the House.”

The legislation extends the current regulatory framework for American lobster and Jonah crab fisheries through 2035 while keeping existing whale protections in place. The additional time will allow NOAA, states, and fishermen to continue developing future protections using updated data and emerging fishing technologies.