Saving Seafood

NJ fishing community says virus aid helps keep it afloat

March 8, 2021 — With New Jersey’s commercial fishing industry about to receive a second round of federal coronavirus aid, boat owners and those who run fishing-related businesses say the extra money is helping keep them afloat amid a sea of red ink.

The state’s fishing industry received $11 million last March under the CARES Act, an early aid bill passed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

And it should get roughly the same amount under a second bill passed by Congress in December, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. said Monday. Pallone, (D-NJ) held a news conference Monday at the Belford Seafood Cooperative in Middletown with boat owners and those who run related businesses.

Many said the extra money could make the difference between working and not working this spring and summer. They declined to say how much each individually received under the measure.

“I’ve been on a boat with my family since I was 7 years old,” said Capt. Richard Isaksen, president of the fishing cooperative. “We still haven’t recovered from Superstorm Sandy that hurt us badly with eight feet of water on the dock and (which) wiped everything out.”

The 2012 storm caused widespread devastation in New Jersey, New York and other northeastern coastal states.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

CARES Act support for fishermen, seafood dealers may come this spring

March 5, 2021 — Commercial fishermen, seafood dealers and others who make their living on the water may get federal aid sometime this spring to help make up coronavirus-related loses.

N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Deputy Director Dee Lupton informed the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Feb. 25 during the commission’s online Webinar meeting that division staff is processing Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act financial aid applications from commercial and for-hire fishermen, seafood dealers and processors.

The application period for the $5.4 million in federal aid for North Carolina watermen closed Nov. 30, and according to an email Feb. 23 to the News-Times from DMF Communications Director Patricia Smith, the division received 290 applications, of which 216 were from commercial fishermen and aquaculture operations, 35 were from seafood dealers and processors and 39 were from for-hire operations.

“As of this past Monday (Feb. 22), we’ve reviewed all of them,” Ms. Lupton said at the Feb. 25 commission meeting. “One hundred and ninety-eight have been approved. We’re in the process of notifying those determined not-eligible, they will have an appeal opportunity.”

Read the full story at the Carteret County News-Times

Feds approve $50m pandemic relief for Alaska’s fishing sector

February 26, 2021 — Alaska’s plan to pay out nearly $50 million to the fishing industry for pandemic relief has been approved by the federal government.

That’s after two major revisions and more than 200 public comments from every industry sector.

“It really was a balance between getting the funds out quickly and developing a spending plan with the input of affected fishery participants,” Alaska Department of Fish and Game Deputy Commissioner Rachel Baker told CoastAlaska.

Final details were released on Thursday. Commercial applicants will need to show that the COVID-19 pandemic caused them at least a 35% loss in revenue last year. Applications will be accepted during a two-month window that opens March 1. Payments could come as early as June.

Baker says a major change to the final plan now excludes commercial permit holders who live in other Pacific states like Washington and Oregon.

“Non-Alaska resident commercial harvesters who fish up here but live in a state that received a CARES Act allocation must apply to their state of residence,” she said. “They’re not eligible to apply to the state of Alaska for a funds.”

Read the full story at KFSK

GUAM: Despite push for fishers to apply for CARES ACT money, no funds have been paid out

February 24, 2021 — Three extensions later and not one penny has been paid out to local fishermen who applied for assistance under the CARES ACT Fisheries Relief Fund.

“What I think it is is that they’re not only dealing with Guam but they’re also dealing with other states and territories as well so maybe they’re backed up with processing of applications,” Department of Agriculture’s Frank Roberto said. “But that’s all on the federal commission part. We’re just doing the legwork and processing the applications for them so that they can do their art and disperse the checks.”

Read the full story at KUAM

MASSACHUSETTS: South Shore fisheries received $2.9 million in federal relief

February 17, 2021 — South Shore fisheries hauled in $2.9 million in federal money designated for the industry last year, about 10 percent of the total received for Massachusetts.

That money went to 126 commercial fishermen, charter boat owners, aquaculture farmers and seafood processors.

The 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, known more commonly as the CARES Act, authorized over $2 trillion in relief to individuals, businesses, hospitals, loan programs and other recipients to help ease the economic impacts of COVID-19.

The Paycheck Protection Program loans, known as PPP loans, were also part of that package, which injected $1.3 billion into the South Shore economy, with forgivable loans to 10,974 companies.

Read the full story at The Patriot Ledger

WASHINGTON: Applications open for federal relief funding to commercial fishing, shellfish, charter and seafood sector industry members

February 11, 2021 — Eligible commercial fishing, shellfish, charter and seafood sector industry members who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic can now apply with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) for assistance.

Industry members who experienced a gross revenue loss from January through July 2020 greater than 35 percent of their 2015-2019 average, are eligible to apply for federal relief funding. Washington-based commercial fishers who fish in Alaska are also eligible.

Under Section 12005 of the CARES Act, Congress provided $300 million to states to distribute to fisheries participants. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries allocated the funding among states, territories, and tribes with Washington and Alaska receiving the highest allocation of $50 million each.

Washington non-tribal commercial fishing, shellfish and charter industry members have been allocated $39 million, with $11 million allocated to members of Washington’s 24 treaty tribes. The CARES Act funds are intended to help those who have experienced negative impacts to commercial, subsistence, cultural and ceremonial fisheries resulting directly or indirectly from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the full story at Chinook Observer

MASSACHUSETTS: COVID-19 federal relief funds for SouthCoast fisheries topped $5 million

February 11, 2021 — Keith Decker, CEO of Blue Harvest Fisheries, said federal relief funds made a “big difference” in minimizing the impact of the pandemic. The company received just over $510,000 last year for its processing facility and four of its fishing vessels, according to state records.

Decker said they used the funds for production line modifications to allow for social distancing and improved worker safety. The company also adopted a temporary wage increase for “hazard pay” for workers who were able to continue working during the height of the pandemic, he said.

SouthCoast commercial fishermen, charter boat owners, aquaculture farmers and processors like Blue Harvest received about 18.5%, or $5.1 million, of federal funds allocated to Massachusetts last year for economic relief for fisheries.

The 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, known more commonly as the CARES Act, authorized over $2 trillion in relief to individuals, businesses, hospitals, loan programs and other recipients to help ameliorate the economic impacts of COVID-19.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

CARES Act money to be disbursed to N.J.’s fishing and aquaculture industry

February 5, 2021 — As of Thursday morning Capt. Rich Issaken, owner of the Isaetta commercial boat at the Belford co-operative dock, was still waiting for word on whether his application for CARES Act grant money was approved.

This is the week that New Jersey’s fishing sector is to begin receiving disbursements of CARES Act money from the state’s Department of Environmental Protection.

The state was awarded $11 million from the initial federal pandemic relief package that was passed by Congress last March. The DEP said it would start notifying fishermen the week of Feb. 1.

“We applied. Haven’t heard anything yet,” Issaken said.

Most of the grant funds, $6.1 million to be exact, are earmarked for the state’s commercial and aquaculture sector. The recreational fishing industry sector was allocated $1.1 million while the remaining $3.8 million was awarded to the dealer and processor sector.

Read the full story at the Asbury Park Press

Pallone Applauds Distribution of COVID-19 Relief Funding to New Jersey’s Fishing Communities

February 1, 2021 — The following was released by The Office of Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ):

Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today applauded the distribution of COVID-19 relief funding to New Jersey’s fishing communities. New Jersey received $11 million in federal funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that Congress passed and was signed into law last March. The funding was allocated to aid commercial fishing businesses, charter and for-hire fishing businesses, aquaculture operations, processors, and other fishery-related businesses in New Jersey.

“Our fishing communities have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, which is why I fought so hard to include robust funding in the CARES Act and have worked to ensure that funding is distributed to those who need it most. I’m pleased to see that New Jersey’s commercial and recreational fishing industry is finally receiving the help they need,” said Congressman Pallone. “The economic impacts of the pandemic have been felt deeply across our state and have been especially severe for the hardworking men and women who make our fishing industry so strong. I’ll continue to work to ensure that the fishing community in New Jersey receives the assistance it needs to weather this ongoing economic storm.”

Last April, Pallone sent a letter with the New Jersey delegation calling on the Trump Administration to fairly and quickly distribute financial aid to the fishing industries in states like New Jersey that incurred greater economic losses as a result of the pandemic. Pallone later announced New Jersey would receive $11 million in federal funding to help the state’s fishing industry. The omnibus spending bill and COVID relief package Congress passed last December and was signed into law included an additional $300 million in aid to the fishing communities.

New Jersey’s commercial fishing industry generates over $8 billion annually supporting over 50,000 jobs and has one of the largest saltwater recreational fishing industries in the United States.