WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 15, 2026 — Leading recreational fishing conservation organizations today commended the House Committee on Natural Resources for advancing H.R. 5745, the Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act. This bipartisan legislation would help conserve established marine ecosystems on offshore oil and gas infrastructure by facilitating the voluntary conversion of eligible structures into permanent artificial reefs through state Rigs-to-Reefs programs.
Introduced by Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Members Representatives Mike Ezell (MS), CSC Vice Chair Troy Carter (LA), and Marc Veasey (TX), the bill addresses the loss of valuable fisheries habitat as offshore platforms reach the end of their energy-producing lives. Lengthy permitting processes and the requirement to move a platform to a previously established reefing area miles away often result in the complete removal of structures that support thriving communities of fish, corals, and other marine life.
“The Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act offers a practical, science-based path to conserve thriving reef ecosystems and coveted fishing locations for America’s anglers,” said Jeff Crane, President and CEO of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. “We sincerely thank Representatives Ezell, Carter, and Veasey for their bipartisan leadership and the House Natural Resources Committee for advancing this important legislation to preserve these highly productive fish habitats that are rapidly disappearing.”
For decades, offshore platforms have provided the necessary hard substrate for reef organisms to establish themselves, creating productive habitat and popular fishing and diving destinations. These ecosystems support recreational and commercial fisheries and contribute to the economies of nearby coastal communities. Removing the structures can destroy habitat that took decades to develop, stretches from the seafloor to the surface, and is cost-prohibitive to replace.
“This is progress — and a big win — for Gulf anglers and common-sense conservation. The Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act gives us a smarter path forward,” said Jeff Angers, president of the Center for Sportfishing Policy. “We applaud Representatives Mike Ezell, Troy Carter and Marc Veasey, along with Chairman Bruce Westerman, for their bipartisan leadership in getting this important bill moving.”
“Offshore platforms are among the most popular and productive fishing destinations in the country, but too many are being removed because the current process does not provide a practical pathway to preserve them as reefs,” said Mike Leonard, Vice President of Government Affairs at the American Sportfishing Association. “The Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act would establish a more workable process for safely converting eligible structures into permanent reefs, conserving valuable habitat, fishing opportunities and the coastal economies they support. We thank Representatives Ezell, Carter and Veasey for the leadership, and the House Natural Resources Committee for advancing this bipartisan solution.”
H.R. 5745 would use science-based assessments to identify established reef ecosystems and facilitate reefing eligible structures in place. It would also provide the appropriate amount of time to complete the conversion process, allowing for the preservation of the highly valuable habitat for future generations through established state artificial reef programs. All applicable environmental and safety requirements would still apply, including ensuring all associated wells are permanently plugged and abandoned, just as they would if the structure was removed to shore.
“Keeping as much of that structure in place as possible has been a priority issue for our members for many years,” said Pat Murray, president and CEO of Coastal Conservation Association. “We are encouraged to see Congress continue to take an active interest in saving this unique habitat because those structures are the basis for thriving ecosystems that sustain an immense diversity of life in our nation’s oceans and provide unparalleled access for saltwater anglers.”
The recreational fishing community thanks the bill’s sponsors and House Natural Resources Committee Members for advancing this vital habitat conservation measure and urges the full House of Representatives to take up H.R. 5745.
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