Hydrographic Services Amendments of 2004

This bill updates how the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) manages the mapping and monitoring of America’s coastal waters and the Great Lakes. It authorizes the creation of specialized "Navigation Response Teams" to improve maritime safety and requires the government to synchronize different federal maps so that shorelines are depicted consistently for boaters and researchers.

For the average citizen, these changes aim to make maritime travel safer and more efficient by providing more accurate nautical charts and better data on water levels. The legislation also supports the modernization of the nation’s fishery survey fleet, which helps ensure more reliable data for managing fish populations and supporting the commercial and recreational fishing industries.