I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1240 
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 
A BILL 
To preserve United States fishing heritage through a na-
tional program dedicated to training and assisting the 
next generation of commercial fishermen. 
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 
Development Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
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(1) the average age of commercial fishermen 
continues to increase due to fewer new entrants re-
placing retiring fishermen; 
(2) there are fewer young or beginning fisher-
men entering the commercial fisheries for many rea-
sons, including the lack of training, fewer entry level 
opportunities, lack of capital, and other barriers to 
entry; 
(3) without well-trained young or beginning 
fishermen to replace those retiring, fishing busi-
nesses and vessels will be lost and fishing commu-
nities will suffer; 
(4) for food security and economic reasons, it is 
in the United States national interest to sustainably 
harvest United States fishery resources; 
(5) United States farmers and ranchers faced 
similar difficulties and Congress responded by enact-
ing the Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Develop-
ment Program administered by the Department of 
Agriculture; 
(6) the Young Fishermen’s Development Grant 
Program established by this Act is modeled after the 
successful Department of Agriculture program; and 
(7) the training, education, and outreach pro-
vided for in the Young Fishermen’s Development 
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Grant Program established by this Act will ensure 
there is a next generation of commercial fishermen 
and businesses to harvest the United States rich 
fishery resources and support our coastal commu-
nities. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to establish a national grant program to 
support the training and education of the United 
States next generation of commercial fishermen; and 
(2) to engage partnerships and collaborations 
led by or including nongovernmental, community- 
based fishing organizations, and school-based fish-
eries, including Sea Grant Institutions, or marine 
educational organizations with expertise in new fish-
eries training and outreach, to provide the education 
and training. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘young fishermen’’ means an indi-
vidual who— 
(A)(i) desires to participate in the commer-
cial fisheries of the United States, including the 
Great Lakes fisheries; 
(ii) has worked as a captain, crew member, 
deckhand, or other at-sea position on a com-
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mercial fishing vessel for not more than 10 
years of cumulative service; 
(iii) is a beginning commercial fisherman; 
or 
(iv) meets such other criteria as the Sec-
retary of Commerce may establish; and 
(B) is less than 35 years of age; and 
(2) 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). 
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. 
The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Na-
tional Sea Grant Office, shall establish a Young Fisher-
men’s Development Grant Program to provide training, 
education, outreach, and technical assistance initiatives 
for young fishermen. 
SEC. 5. GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this Act, the Sec-
retary shall make competitive grants to support new and 
established local and regional training, education, out-
reach, and technical assistance initiatives for young fisher-
men, including programs, workshops, and services relating 
to— 
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(1) seamanship, navigation, electronics, and 
safety; 
(2) vessel and engine care, maintenance, and 
repair; 
(3) innovative conservation fishing gear engi-
neering and technology; 
(4) sustainable fishing practices; 
(5) entrepreneurship and good business prac-
tices; 
(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, 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 determined appropriate by the Secretary. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.— 
(1) APPLICANTS.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this Act, the recipient must be a col-
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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, State, or Tribal agency; 
(C) a community-based or nongovernment-
al organization; 
(D) fishermen’s cooperatives or associa-
tions, including permit banks and trusts; 
(E) Alaska Native corporations; 
(F) a college or university (including an in-
stitution awarding an associate’s degree), or a 
foundation maintained by a college or univer-
sity; or 
(G) any other appropriate entity as deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
(2) PARTICIPANTS.—All young fishermen seek-
ing 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 re-
cipient. 
(c) MAXIMUM TERM AND AMOUNT OF GRANT.— 
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(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 recipi-
ent may receive consecutive grants under this sec-
tion. 
(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 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) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall give priority to partnerships and 
collaborations that are led by or include nongovernmental 
fishing community-based organizations and school-based 
fisheries educational organizations with expertise in fish-
eries and sustainable fishing training and outreach. 
(g) COOPERATION AND EVALUATION CRITERIA.—In 
carrying out this section and especially in developing cri-
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teria for evaluating grant applications, the Secretary shall 
cooperate, to the maximum extent practicable, with— 
(1) Sea Grant Institutions and extension agents 
of such institutions; 
(2) community-based and 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) colleges and universities with fisheries ex-
pertise and programs; and 
(5) other appropriate partners as determined by 
the Secretary. 
(h) PROHIBITION.—A grant under this section may 
not be used to purchase any fishing license, permit, quota, 
or other harvesting right. 
SEC. 6. FUNDING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Of the amount made available to 
the Secretary of Commerce under section 311(e) of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Manage-
ment Act (16 U.S.C. 1861(e)) for each of fiscal years 
2020 through 2024, the Secretary shall use $2,000,000 
to carry out section 5 of this Act. 
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(b) PROPORTIONAL ALLOCATION.—The amount obli-
gated under this section each fiscal year for activities in 
each fishery management region shall be in the same pro-
portion as the portion of the total amount obligated under 
this section for that fiscal year that was collected in that 
region. 
Æ 
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