UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): December 9, 2005


                          GULF ISLAND FABRICATION, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


          Louisiana                 0-22303                     72-1147390
(State or other jurisdiction      (Commission                 (IRS Employer
      of incorporation)            File Number)             Identification No.)


                                583 Thompson Road
                             Houma, Louisiana 70363
               (Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)


                                 (985) 872-2100
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


                                 Not applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

|_|  Written  communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the  Securities Act (17
     CFR 230.425)

|_|  Soliciting  material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
     240.14a-12)

|_|  Pre-commencement   communications  pursuant  to  Rule  14d-2(b)  under  the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

|_|  Pre-commencement   communications  pursuant  to  Rule  13e-4(c)  under  the
     Exchange Act (17CFR 240.13e-4(c))






Item 1.01    Other Events.

     On December 9, 2005, the  Compensation  Committee of the Company's Board of
Directors  granted  restricted  stock awards to certain  officers and employees,
including the following awards to the Named Executive Officers:

                                                            Shares of
                                                           Restricted
                                                          Stock Awarded
           Name and Principal Position                       Shares
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kerry J. Chauvin                                              6,700
   Chairman of the Board, President
     and Chief Executive Officer

Kirk J. Meche                                                 3,350
   Executive Vice-President--Operations
   President Gulf Island, L.L.C.
     (fabrication subsidiary)

Murphy A. Bourke                                              2,300
   Executive Vice-President--Marketing

Joseph P. Gallagher, III                                      2,300
   Vice-President--Finance and Chief
   Financial Officer and Treasurer



     The  restricted  stock  awards  were made  pursuant to the  Company's  2002
Long-Term  Incentive  Plan,  and are subject to the terms and conditions of that
plan and the  Restricted  Stock  Agreements.  The awards will vest in 20% annual
increments  on the  anniversaries  of the date of grant,  with the first vesting
occurring on the first anniversary of the date of grant





                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                                        GULF ISLAND FABRICATION, INC.

                                        By:  /s/ Joseph P. Gallagher, III
                                           -------------------------------------

                                                 Joseph P. Gallagher, III
                                                 Vice President - Finance,
                                                  Chief Financial Officer
                                                       and Treasurer
                                              (Principal Financial Officer
                                              and Duly Authorized Officer)

Dated:  December 15, 2005