A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced the Youth Coastal Fishing Program Act of 2023.
U.S. Representatives Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), and Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced the legislation.
The bill would create a grant program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for projects that take children fishing in the ocean or Great Lakes, with priority given to underserved communities. The legislation is in line with the American Sportfishing Association’s goal of introducing new anglers. particularly children, to fishing.
“Recreational fishing provides substantial physical and mental health benefits, but unfortunately many young people, particularly in underserved communities, face significant barriers in accessing the outdoors,” ASA vice president of government affairs Mike Leonard said in a statement. “The grants provided through this bill will go a long way to remove those barriers and help children develop a love of fishing.”
The bill proposes $2 million in grants over each of the next five years for projects that include a fishing experience for youth, offer education about marine science and conservation, and provide information on where or how to fish. Other federal land management agencies, including the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service, have dedicated programs to connect the public to nature. The new legislation would create the first of its kind within NOAA Fisheries.
