Past efforts to loosen restrictions have largely died, in no small part because of opposition by the Obama administration. But private-boat anglers and the coastal businesses that support them sense momentum on their side, pointing to steps lawmakers have taken to advance their agenda and temporary actions the Trump administration has taken during the past year to expand saltwater access.

The Republican House bill, known as the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, would give the nation's eight regional fishery management councils more wiggle room to ease restrictions on what recreational anglers are allowed to catch in the federal waters that stretch 200 miles off the U.S. coast.

Specifically, the measure would allow the councils to extend the rebuilding period for a depleted stock (now capped at 10 years) so that fishing could continue without having to impose painful catch limits to meet an approaching deadline. It also would exempt some stocks from being subject to annual catch limits, even in limited cases where they are overfished.

And it would allow the councils to consider more factors when determining fish counts for the purpose of setting those catch limits.