Voters should care about this bill because it aims to strengthen the foundation of marine food webs. Forage fish are essentially the "fuel" for much of the ocean's larger and more iconic wildlife. If their populations decline due to overfishing, it can have ripple effects, impacting the health and abundance of many other species, including commercially valuable fish like tuna, cod, and pollock, as well as marine mammals and seabirds that depend on them for food.

If this bill becomes law, it would lead to a more holistic approach to fisheries management, prioritizing ecosystem health alongside commercial interests. This could mean more stable populations of predator fish, potentially benefiting both commercial and recreational fishing sectors in the long run. If it doesn't become law, current management practices might continue without explicitly requiring consideration of predator diet needs, potentially leaving forage fish populations vulnerable to overfishing and risking the health of the broader marine ecosystem.