33 U.S.C. § 1143 — Grants

(a) In general. The Secretary must award competitive grants for new or existing local and regional programs, workshops, and services that train, educate, reach, or give technical help to young fishermen. They may cover (1) seamanship, navigation, electronics, and safety; (2) vessel and engine care, maintenance, and repair; (3) innovative engineering and technology for conservation fishing gear; (4) sustainable fishing; (5) entrepreneurship and sound business practices; (6) direct marketing, supply chains, and traceability; (7) financial and risk management, including buying vessels, permits, and quotas; (8) State and Federal legal requirements for particular fisheries, including reporting, monitoring, licenses, and regulations; (9) State and Federal fisheries policy and management; (10) mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships; and (11) other activities, opportunities, or programs the Secretary considers appropriate. (b) Eligibility. (1) Applicants. A grant recipient must be a collaborative State, Tribal, local, or regional network or partnership of public or private entities. It may include (A) a Sea Grant Institution; (B) a Federal or State agency or Tribal organization; (C) a community-based nongovernmental organization; (D) fishermen’s cooperatives or associations; (E) a higher-education institution, including one awarding an associate degree, or its foundation; or (F) another entity the Secretary considers appropriate. (2) Participants. All young fishermen seeking to participate in United States or Great Lakes commercial fisheries are eligible for grant-funded activities, but each recipient chooses the participants. (c) Maximum term and amount. (1) A grant may last no more than 3 fiscal years and may be no more than $200,000 for each fiscal year. (2) An eligible recipient may receive grants in consecutive periods. (d) Matching requirement. A recipient must provide cash or in-kind contributions equal to or greater than 25 percent of the grant funds. (e) Regional balance. To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary must ensure geographic diversity when awarding grants. (f) Cooperation and evaluation criteria. To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary must consult when carrying out this section and creating application-evaluation criteria with (1) Sea Grant Institutions and their extension agents; (2) community-based nongovernmental fishing organizations; (3) Federal and State agencies, including Regional Fishery Management Councils under the Magnuson-Stevens Act; (4) higher-education institutions with fisheries expertise and programs; and (5) other partners the Secretary considers appropriate. (g) Prohibition. A grant may not be used to buy a fishing license, permit, quota, or other harvesting right.