October 19, 2020 — People who work in the commercial fishing industry in Connecticut can now apply for Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act assistance.
According to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the federal CARES Act provided $300 million in aid for “marine fishery participants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.” Connecticut received $1,835,424 from the CARES Act Assistance to Fishery Participants but had to submit a spending plan for approval to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
DEEP, in consultation with the state Department of Agriculture, developed a plan, the final iteration of which was submitted for review on Aug. 7 and it was approved by NOAA on Oct. 9