[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 203 (Wednesday, December 2, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7186-S7187]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2691. Mr. INHOFE (for Mr. Sullivan) proposed an amendment to the
bill S. 496, to preserve United States fishing heritage through a
national program dedicated to training and assisting the next
generation of commercial fishermen, and for other purposes; as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
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;
(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
[[Page S7187]]
(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
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.
The Secretary of Commerce shall carry out this Act using
amounts made available to the Department of Commerce for
fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
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