May 1, 2020 — Fishing stakeholders are urging Congress to expand federal assistance in the next round of funding to include fishing-related nonprofit associations and Northeast fishing sectors to help them keep their employees working during the pandemic.
In a letter to the respective chairmen of the U.S. House and Senate small business committees, stakeholders called on lawmakers to redress inequities toward many non-profits that have been precluded from sharing in benefits — specifically the Paycheck Protection Program — contained in the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
“Our primary principle concern is for the equitable treatment of the Northeast groundfish industry sectors organized pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(5), and for those U.S. fishing industry trade associations organized pursuant to IRS section 501(c)(6),” the stakeholders stated in the letter.
Those associations include the Gloucester-based Northeast Seafood Coalition, the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association, the Fishing Partnership Support Services and other fishing nonprofit organizations.