CRD, Coastal Pines partner to support future of commercial fishing industry
Jan. 22—A new scholarship and endowment program will invest in the next generation of commercial fishermen in Georgia.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Coastal Pines Technical College Foundation recently announced the establishment of the Georgia Commercial Fishing Sustainability and Resilience Endowment and the Georgia Commercial Fishing Scholarship, funded by DNR's Coastal Resources Division.
The program will aid Coastal Pines Technical College students enrolled in the college's Basic Commercial Fisherman Program. Qualified students can apply for financial aid to cover tuition, equipment, training and commercial fishing licenses.
"It helps the fishery, it helps McIntosh County, and it definitely helps the students that want to get into this industry," said Julie Califf, a CRD fisheries data specialist.
Owners of commercial fishing vessels and docks have begun to grow concerned about the lack of trained crew to replace the industry's participants as they retire, said Carolyn Belcher, CRD's chief of marine fisheries.
The new scholarship and endowment is intended to incentivize students to pursue careers in commercial fishing across the Georgia coast.
Funding for the endowment and scholarship comes from a 2019 U.S. Commerce Department aid allocation for a fishery failure that occurred during Georgia's 2013 shrimp season. Commercial shrimpers saw a 58% reduction in harvest that season, prompting then-Gov. Nathan Deal to request federal aid.
The state's commercial fishing fleet is aging as families pass along their businesses from generation to generation, Belcher said.
With more retiring, the question is how to bring in a new generation.
Boat owners and captains are also struggling to find qualified crew workers, Califf said.
"This class can at least give them some knowledge of boating skills and boating laws, and also they get some practical experience working on a boat," she said. "It just gives them a little more preparation to go work for someone and then potentially, hopefully, start their own business at some point."
Aid funds donated by CRD include $20,000 to an interest-bearing endowment overseen by the foundation, along with $5,000 in scholarship funds available for immediate distribution.
The scholarship will address the needs of students who enroll in Coastal Pines program, Califf said, as well as the industry the students are being trained to participate in.
"It's in everyone's best interest for this fishing industry to do well," she said. "It's good for the state. It's good for the citizens of the counties, and it's good for tourism."
Stephanie Roberts, Coastal Pines' executive director of college advancement, said she and the college faculty and staff are excited to put the endowment and scholarship to work.
"We are so thankful to the Coastal Resources Division and the Department of Natural Resources," she said. "This endowment and scholarship will help ensure that this important coastal industry has the workforce it needs for the 21st century. We are proud partners with Georgia DNR and are happy to train the future generations in this staple industry of coastal culture."
