Rep. Van Drew Criticizes USCG Fishing Vessel Rule Impacting Fishermen

U.S. Coast Guard Policy Letter 24-02

• 🎣 Congressman Van Drew argues that the U.S. Coast Guard's Policy Letter 24-02 undermines congressional intent and bypasses the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2016.
• ⚠️ This policy is described as putting working fishermen, shipyards, and maritime workers in an impossible position, forcing them to pay tens of thousands of dollars for retroactive classification.
• 📉 The policy is seen as counterproductive to the goal of reviving the maritime industry, pushing the industry in the opposite direction.

Impact on Fishermen and Industry

• ⚓ The policy letter reverses a deliberate choice made by lawmakers to allow safe, modern new builds overseen by independent marine surveyors, instead of being monopolized by classification societies.
• 🚫 Fishermen are being forced to keep older vessels in service because new construction is blocked, delayed, or too difficult, which ultimately harms safety.
• 📉 When domestic shipyards lose work due to this policy, the maritime workforce shrinks, hurting the United States.

Coast Guard's Response and Concerns

• 👂 Dozens of stakeholders formally petitioned the Coast Guard to withdraw or revise the policy, but these petitions were rejected.
• ❓ Van Drew questions why the Coast Guard is enforcing class-based control through a policy letter instead of following the US statute written by Congress.
• 🤝 The Coast Guard acknowledges the concerns and is working on a way forward to help fishermen resolve the issue, aiming to implement a safety standard that is compliant and broadly understood.
• ⏳ Van Drew urges the Coast Guard not to let the issue stagnate and to prioritize finding a solution that ensures safety without making compliance virtually impossible.

Broader Implications

• 🌎 The issue affects not only specific districts like Cape May but the entire East Coast, highlighting its significant impact on the American fishing industry.
• 🤝 There is a shared goal of ensuring safety and supporting American fishermen, but the current policy creates undue hardship.