Fishing Industry Safety Improvement Act

Summary#

This bill amends the fishing safety training and fishing safety research grant programs in 46 U.S.C. 4502. It adds behavioral and physical health risks—specifically substance use disorder and worker fatigue—to the topics that training and research grants must address. It changes how grants are awarded so they are given on a competitive basis and the selection criteria are developed in consultation with the Commandant of the Coast Guard. It also increases funding language so that the Secretary of Health and Human Services is to receive $6,000,000 for each fiscal year 2025 through 2029 in place of a prior $3,000,000 figure for fiscal year 2023.

What it means for you#

• Commercial fishing operators and crew: training programs funded under these grant programs may include new courses or materials about substance use disorder, fatigue, and other behavioral and physical health risks.
• Organizations that apply for grants: the bill requires competitive awards and says selection criteria will be developed in consultation with the Commandant of the Coast Guard.
• Researchers and public health groups: research grants can fund work that studies and seeks to mitigate behavioral and physical health risks in the fishing industry.

Expenses#

The bill text specifies funding "to the Secretary of Health and Human Services $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029." The text replaces an earlier reference to "$3,000,000 for fiscal year 2023." No publicly available information on total long-term costs, budget offsets, or other fiscal effects is included in the provided text.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.