Commercial fishermen need more support for substance abuse and fatigue, lawmakers say

PORTLAND, Maine– A federal program that protects the health and well-being of commercial fishermen should be expanded to include substance use disorder and worker fatigue, a group of lawmakers from New England and Alaska said.

Lawmakers want to expand a federal occupational safety program for commercial fishing that funds research and training. The program is designed to help the country’s fishermen with the often dangerous conditions they face at sea.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, one of the lawmakers pushing for the change, said expanding the program would help fishermen access more safety training and mental health resources. Collins and lawmakers introduced the proposal late last week.

“Every day, our fishermen face demanding and dangerous working conditions that take a physical and mental toll as they work to put food on the tables of families across the country,” said another member of the group, Sen. democrat. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, who added that the expansion would “provide much-needed funding to ensure anglers get the information and resources they need to stay safe and healthy on the job.”

Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska is another supporter of change. Alaska produces the largest volume of seafood in the country, while New England is home to New Bedford, Massachusetts, the largest U.S. port in terms of seafood value.

The changes proposed by lawmakers would increase the program’s annual funding from $6 million to $12 million, said Jacqueline Mundry, a Collins spokeswoman. The proposal would also eliminate a cost-sharing component of the program, Mundry said.

Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country, and access to more mental and behavioral health supports is vitally important for the nation’s fishermen, said Andrea Tomlinson, founder and executive director of the Young Fishermen’s Alliance of New England.

“Providing our next generation of fishermen and women with the mental health and substance abuse care they need is vital to the success of our industry,” Tomlinson said.