February 14, 2015 — The approximately $8.3 million in the second round of federal fishery disaster aid should begin going out to eligible Massachusetts beneficiaries around the first week of March, the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs said today.
The funds, the second installment of the fishery disaster assistance designated for Massachusetts fishermen, crew members, shore-side businesses and recreational fishing stakeholders, brings the state's total to about $14.8 million to date from the $75 million Congress allocated more than a year ago.
EOEA spokesowoman Amy E. Mahler said the second-phase distribution will begin with roughly $3.8 million targeted for an expanded pool of federal and state permit holders not covered in the $6.5 million distributed last year in the first phase of the fishery disaster funds.
That will be followed by about $3 million designated to crew members, with the assistance rollout continuing on to eligible shore-side businesses, charter and for-hire boat operators and sector administrators.
"As with the first phase, all those receiving the federal disaster funds must meet the established criteria and be registered as state vendors," Mahler said.
Read the full story at the Gloucester Daily Times