May 4, 2021 — More than $5.2 million in financial assistance is on its way to those eligible in fishing industries who sustained income losses because of COVID-19 in the spring of 2020.
The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries issued funds last week to 197 commercial fishermen and marine aquaculture operations, for-hire fishing operations, and seafood dealers and processors, deemed eligible for assistance from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act Fisheries Relief Program, the division said Friday.
The following payments were made:
|
Stakeholder Category |
Number of |
Number |
Assistance Awarded |
Percent of Total Award |
| Commercial Fishermen and Marine Aquaculture Operations |
217 |
137 |
$3,374,022 |
64.2% |
| Seafood Dealers and Processors |
35 |
26 |
$1,447,221 |
27.5% |
| For-Hire Fishing Operations |
39 |
34 |
$434,243 |
8.3% |
| Total |
291 |
197 |
$5,255,486 |
100% |
An additional $161,287 went toward Division of Marine Fisheries administrative costs.
The state was allocated about $5.4 million in May 2020 from the federal CARES Act for financial relief through direct payments to fishery-related stakeholder groups affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.