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119-s-2357119th CongressWALLET

Young Fishermen’s Development Program Reauthorization Act

Sponsored By: Senator Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]

In Committee

Summary

This bill would reauthorize and broaden the Young Fishermen's Development Act to add new training areas, require tracking of participant career outcomes through the National Sea Grant Office, and extend the program's authorization through 2031.

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  • Young fishermen and crew would see a wider training menu that explicitly includes crew management and disaster preparedness, seafood handling, fishing portfolio diversification and expansion, and management of working waterfronts and related shoreside infrastructure. These additions aim to give entrants practical skills across more parts of the seafood economy.
  • Program managers would face new accountability and evaluation rules. The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the National Sea Grant Office, would be asked to track participant career progression, identify those who enter or remain in U.S. commercial fisheries or related industries, and use those outcomes when judging grant effectiveness and future eligibility.
  • Administrative and eligibility changes would reorganize program elements, adjust sequencing rules by adding the phrase "but non-concurrent" to subsection language, and extend the statutory authorization window to 2026 through 2031.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Program authorization extended to 2031

If enacted, this bill would keep the Young Fishermen's Development Program authorized from 2026 through 2031. That means the program could keep getting funding and giving grants in those years. This helps program administrators and people who apply for grants.

Grants must be consecutive, not concurrent

If enacted, the bill would change the law to say certain activities or awards must be consecutive but non‑concurrent. That means grants or program activities covered by that rule could not overlap in time. This mainly affects applicants and recipients who seek multiple program awards or activities.

More training and tracking for fishers

If enacted, the bill would let the program support more services. It would add technical assistance, crew management, disaster preparedness, seafood handling, fishing diversification, and working‑waterfront management. If enacted, the Commerce Department (through the National Sea Grant Office) would also, to the extent practicable, track participants' career progress and use those results as a key factor when evaluating program effectiveness and future grant eligibility.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]

AK • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]

    AK • R

    Sponsored 7/17/2025

  • Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]

    MS • R

    Sponsored 7/17/2025

  • Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 7/17/2025

  • Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS]

    MS • R

    Sponsored 11/4/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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