IB 
Union Calendar No. 343 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1240 
[Report No. 116–429] 
To preserve United States fishing heritage through a national program dedi-
cated to training and assisting the next generation of commercial fisher-
men. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 14, 2019 
Mr. YOUNG (for himself, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. GOLDEN, and 
Ms. PINGREE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
JUNE 4, 2020 
Additional sponsors: Mr. KILMER, Mr. PAPPAS, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. VAN 
DREW, Mr. SOTO, Mr. LAWSON of Florida, Mr. RICHMOND, and Ms. 
BONAMICI 
JUNE 4, 2020 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 14, 2019] 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Young Fishermen’s De-
velopment 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-Deter-
mination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
5304). 
(3) YOUNG FISHERMAN.—The term ‘‘young fish-
erman’’ 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; 
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(C) is a beginning commercial fisherman; 
or 
(D) is less than 35 years of age. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. 
The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Na-
tional Sea Grant Office, shall establish a program to pro-
vide 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, in-
cluding programs, workshops, and services relating to— 
(1) seamanship, navigation, electronics, and 
safety; 
(2) vessel and engine care, maintenance, and re-
pair; 
(3) innovative conservation fishing gear engi-
neering and technology; 
(4) sustainable fishing practices; 
(5) entrepreneurship and good business practices; 
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(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 spe-
cific fisheries, including reporting, monitoring, li-
censes, and regulations; 
(9) State and Federal fisheries policy and man-
agement; 
(10) mentoring, apprenticeships, or internships; 
and 
(11) any other activities, opportunities, or pro-
grams, as the Secretary determines appropriate. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.— 
(1) APPLICANTS.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under the Program, a recipient shall be a col-
laborative 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; 
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(E) an institution of higher education (in-
cluding an institution awarding an associate’s 
degree), or a foundation maintained by an insti-
tution 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 par-
ticipate in the activities funded through grants pro-
vided for in this section, except that participants in 
such activities shall be selected by each grant recipi-
ent. 
(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 re-
ceive a grant under this section, a recipient shall provide 
a match in the form of cash or in-kind contributions from 
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the recipient in the amount equal to or greater than 25 per-
cent 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 eval-
uating 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 Re-
gional Fishery Management Councils established 
under the Magnuson-Stevens 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. 
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