,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #abdj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #ad1 #bjai,mr4 ,young 7for himself1 ,mrs4 ,radewagen1 ,mr4 ,moulton1 ,mr4 ,golden1 and ,ms4 ,pingree7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to preserve ,united ,states fishing heritage through a national program dedicated to training and assisting the next generation of commercial fishermen4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,young ,fishermen's ,development ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,findings2 purposes 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 the average age of commercial fishermen continues to increase due to fewer new entrants replacing retiring fishermen2 7#b7 there are fewer young or beginning fishermen entering the commercial fisheries for many reasons1 including the lack of training1 fewer entry level opportunities1 lack of capital1 and other barriers to entry2 7#c7 without well-trained young or beginning fishermen to replace those retiring1 fishing businesses and vessels will be lost and fishing communities will suffer2 7#d7 for food security and economic reasons1 it is in the ,united ,states national interest to sustainably harvest ,united ,states fishery resources2 7#e7 ,united ,states farmers and ranchers faced similar difficulties and ,congress responded by enacting the ,beginning ,farmers and ,ranchers ,development ,program administered by the ,department of ,agriculture2 7#f7 the ,young ,fishermen's ,development ,grant ,program established by this ,act is modeled after the successful ,department of ,agriculture program2 and 7#g7 the training1 education1 and outreach provided for in the ,young ,fishermen's ,development ,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 communities4 7b7 ,purposes ,the purposes of this ,act are-- 7#a7 to establish a national grant program to support the training and education of the ,united ,states next generation of commercial fishermen2 and 7#b7 to engage partnerships and collaborations led by or including nongovernmental1 community-based fishing organizations1 and school-based fisheries1 including ,sea ,grant ,institutions1 or marine educational organizations with expertise in new fisheries training and outreach1 to provide the education and training4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act-- 7#a7 the term young fishermen means an individual who-- 7,a7 7i7 desires to participate in the commercial fisheries of the ,united ,states1 including the ,great ,lakes fisheries2 7ii7 has worked as a captain1 crew member1 deckhand1 or other at-sea position on a commercial fishing vessel for not more than #aj years of cumulative service2 7iii7 is a beginning commercial fisherman2 or 7iv7 meets such other criteria as the ,secretary of ,commerce may establish2 and 7,b7 is less than #ce years of age2 and 7#b7 the term ,sea ,grant ,institution means a sea grant college or sea grant institute1 as those terms are defined in section #bjc of the ,national ,sea ,grant ,college ,program ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #aabb74 #d4 ,establishment of program ,the ,secretary of ,commerce1 acting through the ,national ,sea ,grant ,office1 shall establish a ,young ,fishermen's ,development ,grant ,program to provide training1 education1 outreach1 and technical assistance initiatives for young fishermen4 #e4 ,grants 7a7 ,in general ,in carrying out this ,act1 the ,secretary shall make competitive grants to support new and established local and regional training1 education1 outreach1 and technical assistance initiatives for young fishermen1 including programs1 workshops1 and services relating to-- 7#a7 seamanship1 navigation1 electronics1 and safety2 7#b7 vessel and engine care1 maintenance1 and repair2 7#c7 innovative conservation fishing gear engineering and technology2 7#d7 sustainable fishing practices2 7#e7 entrepreneurship and good business practices2 7#f7 direct marketing1 supply chain1 and traceability2 7#g7 financial and risk management1 including vessel1 permit1 and quota purchasing2 7#h7 ,state and ,federal legal requirements for specific fisheries1 including reporting1 monitoring1 licenses1 and regulations2 7#i7 ,state and ,federal fisheries policy and management2 7#aj7 mentoring1 apprenticeships1 or internships2 and 7#aa7 any other activities1 opportunities1 or programs as determined appropriate by the ,secretary4 7b7 ,eligibility 7#a7 ,applicants ,to be eligible to receive a grant under this ,act1 the recipient must be a collaborative ,state1 ,tribal1 local1 or regionally based network or partnership of public or private entities1 which may include-- 7,a7 a ,sea ,grant ,institution2 7,b7 a ,federal1 ,state1 or ,tribal agency2 7,c7 a community-based or nongovernmental organization2 7,d7 fishermen's cooperatives or associations1 including permit banks and trusts2 7,e7 ,alaska ,native corporations2 7,f7 a college or university 7including an institution awarding an associate's degree71 or a foundation maintained by a college or university2 or 7,g7 any other appropriate entity as determined by the ,secretary4 7#b7 ,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 section1 except that participants in such activities shall be selected by each grant recipient4 7c7 ,maximum term and amount of grant 7#a7 ,in general ,a grant under this section shall-- 7,a7 have a term of no more than #c fiscal years2 and 7,b7 be in an amount that is not more than #bjj1jjj for each fiscal year4 7#b7 ,consecutive grants ,an eligible recipient may receive consecutive grants under this section4 7d7 ,matching requirement ,to be eligible to receive a grant under this section1 a recipient shall provide a match in the form of cash or in-kind contributions in the amount equal to or greater than #be percent of the funds provided by the grant4 7e7 ,regional balance ,in making grants under this section1 the ,secretary shall1 to the maximum extent practicable1 ensure geographic diversity4 7f7 ,priority ,in awarding grants under this section1 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 fisheries and sustainable fishing training and outreach4 7g7 ,cooperation and evaluation criteria ,in carrying out this section and especially in developing criteria for evaluating grant applications1 the ,secretary shall cooperate1 to the maximum extent practicable1 with-- 7#a7 ,sea ,grant ,institutions and extension agents of such institutions2 7#b7 community-based and nongovernmental fishing organizations2 7#c7 ,federal and ,state agencies1 including ,regional ,fishery ,management ,councils established under the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahea et seq472 7#d7 colleges and universities with fisheries expertise and programs2 and 7#e7 other appropriate partners as determined by the ,secretary4 7h7 ,prohibition ,a grant under this section may not be used to purchase any fishing license1 permit1 quota1 or other harvesting right4 #f4 ,funding 7a7 ,in general ,of the amount made available to the ,secretary of ,commerce under section #caa7;e7 of the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfa7;e77 for each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbd1 the ,secretary shall use #b1jjj1jjj to carry out section #e of this ,act4 7b7 ,proportional allocation ,the amount obligated under this section each fiscal year for activities in each fishery management region shall be in the same proportion as the portion of the total amount obligated under this section for that fiscal year that was collected in that region4