An Act to provide economic security for fishing industry participants

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Tony Cabral and 3 co-sponsors

Authorizes a study and plan to shield Massachusetts commercial fishermen from regulatory harm, potentially adjusting unemployment benefits; plan due by April 1, 2026.

Summary: An Act to provide economic security for fishing industry participants (HD 593)

Purpose and intent

The bill aims to protect the economic security of people involved in Massachusetts’ commercial fishing industry by authorizing state agencies to study the financial disruption caused by regulatory actions and to develop a plan to mitigate that harm.

It seeks to ensure that changes in regulation (e.g., area closures, gear restrictions, time limitations) do not unduly harm fishermen's ability to earn income, including through adjustments to unemployment insurance mechanisms.

Key provisions

Section 1 — Authority and study:
The Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the Division of Marine Fisheries, is authorized and directed to:

Analyze the economic disruption and harm to financial stability experienced by commercial fishermen arising from state and federal regulatory actions (including area closures, gear restrictions, and time limitations).
Develop a plan to mitigate such harm, potentially by modifying the state's unemployment insurance system to reflect the unique circumstances created by these regulatory actions.

Section 2 — Consideration of seasonal closures:
The analysis must take into account economic hardship caused by seasonal closures in the commercial lobster fishery, with attention to preventing harm to North Atlantic Right Whales, in addition to other seasonal closures currently in place or anticipated.

Section 3 — Plan submission:
The Secretary must file the developed plan, along with any legislative recommendations to implement it, with the clerks of the Massachusetts House and Senate no later than April 1, 2026.

Who is affected

Primary: Commercial fishing participants in Massachusetts (e.g., fishermen, boat owners, crews) who may be impacted by regulatory actions that limit income.

Secondary: State agencies, particularly the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the Division of Marine Fisheries, which would conduct the analysis and develop the plan; legislators who would consider any implementing legislation.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduced / Filed: The bill appears in the 2025-2026 General Court as House Docket No. 593; similar matter previously filed in the 2023-2024 session (House No. 1850).

Plan deadline: By April 1, 2026, the Secretary must file the plan and any legislative recommendations with the clerks of the House and Senate.

Status: Not explicitly stated in the provided materials; the summary reflects the text of the bill as presented in the 2025-2026 session.

Potential impact and considerations

If enacted, the bill could lead to changes in unemployment insurance policy or administration to better reflect income disruption caused by regulatory actions impacting fishing activity.

The plan must balance economic relief with conservation objectives, notably protections for the North Atlantic Right Whale during seasonal closures.

Implementation would require coordination between labor, fisheries, and environmental agencies and could involve statutory or regulatory changes to benefit eligibility, timing, and compensation during fishing disruptions.