H. R. 1240 

One Hundred Sixteenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and twenty 

An Act 

To preserve United States fishing heritage through a national program dedicated 

to training and assisting the next generation of commercial fishermen. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Young Fishermen’s Development 

Act’’. 

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

In this Act: 

(1) SEA GRANT INSTITUTION.—The term ‘‘Sea Grant Institution’’ means a sea grant college or sea grant institute, as 

those terms are defined in section 203 of the National Sea 

Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1122). 

(2) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘Tribal organization’’ 

has the meaning given the term ‘‘tribal organization’’ in section 

4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 

Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 

(3) YOUNG FISHERMAN.—The term ‘‘young fisherman’’ 

means an individual who— 

(A) desires to participate in the commercial fisheries 

of the United States, including the Great Lakes fisheries; 

(B) has worked as a captain, crew member, or deckhand 

on a commercial fishing vessel for not more than 10 years 

of cumulative service; or 

(C) is a beginning commercial fisherman. 

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. 

The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the National Sea 

Grant Office, shall establish a program to provide training, education, outreach, and technical assistance initiatives for young fishermen, to be known as the ‘‘Young Fishermen’s Development Grant 

Program’’ (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Program’’). 

SEC. 4. GRANTS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the Program, the Secretary 

shall make competitive grants to support new and established local 

and regional training, education, outreach, and technical assistance 

initiatives for young fishermen, including programs, workshops, 

and services relating to— 

(1) seamanship, navigation, electronics, and safety; 

(2) vessel and engine care, maintenance, and repair; 

(3) innovative conservation fishing gear engineering and 

technology; 
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(4) sustainable fishing practices; 

(5) entrepreneurship and good business practices; 

(6) direct marketing, supply chain, and traceability; 

(7) financial and risk management, including vessel, 

permit, and quota purchasing; 

(8) State and Federal legal requirements for specific fisheries, including reporting, monitoring, licenses, and regulations; 

(9) State and Federal fisheries policy and management; 

(10) mentoring, apprenticeships, or internships; and 

(11) any other activities, opportunities, or programs, as 

the Secretary determines appropriate. 

(b) ELIGIBILITY.— 

(1) APPLICANTS.—To be eligible to receive a grant under 

the Program, a recipient shall be a collaborative State, Tribal, 

local, or regionally based network or partnership of public or 

private entities, which may include— 

(A) a Sea Grant Institution; 

(B) a Federal or State agency or a Tribal organization; 

(C) a community-based nongovernmental organization; 

(D) fishermen’s cooperatives or associations; 

(E) an institution of higher education (including an 

institution awarding an associate’s degree), or a foundation 

maintained by an institution of higher education; or 

(F) any other appropriate entity, as the Secretary 

determines appropriate. 

(2) PARTICIPANTS.—All young fishermen seeking to participate in the commercial fisheries of the United States and 

the Great Lakes are eligible to participate in the activities 

funded through grants provided for in this section, except that 

participants in such activities shall be selected by each grant 

recipient. 

(c) MAXIMUM TERM AND AMOUNT OF GRANT.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—A grant under this section shall— 

(A) have a term of no more than 3 fiscal years; and 

(B) be in an amount that is not more than $200,000 

for each fiscal year. 

(2) CONSECUTIVE GRANTS.—An eligible recipient may 

receive consecutive grants under this section. 

(d) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—To be eligible to receive a grant 

under this section, a recipient shall provide a match in the form 

of cash or in-kind contributions from the recipient in the amount 

equal to or greater than 25 percent of the funds provided by the 

grant. 

(e) REGIONAL BALANCE.—In making grants under this section, 

the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure 

geographic diversity. 

(f) COOPERATION AND EVALUATION CRITERIA.—In carrying out 

this section and in developing criteria for evaluating grant applications, the Secretary shall consult, to the maximum extent practicable, with— 

(1) Sea Grant Institutions and extension agents of such 

institutions; 

(2) community-based nongovernmental fishing organizations; 

(3) Federal and State agencies, including Regional Fishery 

Management Councils established under the Magnuson-Stevens 
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Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1851 

et seq.); 

(4) institutions of higher education with fisheries expertise 

and programs; and 

(5) partners, as the Secretary determines. 

(g) PROHIBITION.—A grant under this section may not be used 

to purchase any fishing license, permit, quota, or other harvesting 

right. 

SEC. 5. FUNDING. 

(a) AUTHORIZATIONS.—There are authorized to be appropriated 

to carry out this Act $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 

2026. 

(b) DERIVATION.—Funds to carry out the activities under this 

Act shall be derived from amounts authorized to be appropriated 

pursuant to the preceding subsection that are enacted after the 

date of the enactment of this Act. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.