---
type: "LegalText"
title: "46 U.S.C. § 7311a"
description: "Able seamen—fishing industry"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
chapter_number: "73"
chapter_name: "MERCHANT MARINERS’ DOCUMENTS"
section: "7311a"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 7311a"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc46@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s7311a"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml"
source_hash: "ed0007f2dda99ccac266cf97ce29eb4a7522388212cedc335c0bb1a9e24ee9f9"
raw_snapshot_hash: "eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f"
text_hash: "1935e1dd6f03e567e5ddb388a712e67e98690acf23689aed1d07a75fe3baa3d2"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 46 U.S.C. § 7311a - Able seamen—fishing industry

## Text

For service on a fish processing vessel, an individual may be rated as able seaman—fishing industry if the individual has at least 6 months’ service on deck on board vessels operating on the oceans or the navigable waters of the United States (including the Great Lakes).

(Added Pub. L. 98–364, title IV, § 402(9)(D), July 17, 1984, 98 Stat. 448.)