Saving Seafood

NORTH CAROLINA: Division of Marine Fisheries accepting applications for CARES Act Fisheries Relief Program

October 27, 2020 — The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is accepting applications for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Fisheries Relief Program. The financial assistance is available to eligible commercial fishermen, for-hire fishing operators, seafood dealers and processors, and marine aquaculture operations with revenue losses in the spring of 2020 greater than 35% as compared to the prior 5-year average revenue.

The division has mailed application packets to eligible license, lease, and permit holders. Application packets are available on the CARES Act Fisheries Assistance Information webpage or at division offices for eligible stakeholders who are not licensed by the division.

North Carolina received $5.4 million from the CARES Act to provide financial relief through direct payments to fishery-related stakeholder groups affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants will be required to complete the application, an affidavit, and provide supporting materials that document loss of revenue greater than 35% from March 1 to May 31, 2020 as compared to the average revenue from the same period of the previous five-years (March 1 to May 31, 2015-2019).

Read the full story at the Island Free Press

Storms extend Louisiana fisheries COVID-19 aid deadline

October 26, 2020 — Damage from Hurricanes Laura and Delta has prompted Louisiana to extend the deadline for fisheries’ workers and businesses to apply for help under a coronavirus pandemic program.

Instead of ending Monday, the application period will now last through Nov. 23, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said in a news release.

“After a closer look at the damage left by hurricanes Laura and Delta to the fishing community, the department wants to ensure that everyone impacted by those hurricanes has ample opportunity to apply,” Secretary Jack Montoucet said.

He said the extension will give those people more time to repair and get services to their homes and to take care of their families’ immediate needs.

The Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission has $14.6 million in federal coronavirus relief money for Louisiana’s fishing industry.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at WBRZ

Massachusetts lawmakers press Perdue for more Section 32 Atlantic seafood purchases

October 23, 2020 — A group of Massachusetts lawmakers in Washington wrote to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Wednesday, 21 October, to say they were thankful the Department of Agriculture has included Atlantic seafood in its purchases for public food programs. Now, they want to see more of it.

Since announcing a USD 20 million (EUR 16.9 million) Section 32 program solicitation for Atlantic pollock, haddock, and redfish in May, the USDA has made just once purchase agreement from that opportunity, and that came last month when the department purchased USD 4.4 million (EUR 3. million) worth of groundfish from New Bedford, Massachusetts-based Blue Harvest Fisheries.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Florida gains CARES Act spend plan approval

October 22, 2020 — Florida has become the latest U.S. state to gain approval for its CARES Act spend plan, allowing it to begin the application process to deliver aid to the seafood industry to offset the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The approval comes several months after the USD 300 million (EUR 253.7 million) in aid funding was approved in May. Florida represents the fourth-largest recipient of those funds, with the state receiving USD 23.6 million (EUR 19.9 million) in relief funding to be distributed among industry stakeholders.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

CARES Act funding announced for Maryland fishing industry

October 21, 2020 — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced this week that economic relief funds would be made available to the state’s commercial seafood industry through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), for those who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Applications will be available beginning on November 4th.  The application will be available to eligible members of the seafood industry on the Maryland OneStop website. The deadline to apply is February 28, 2021.

In May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that Maryland would be receiving about $4 million. Maryland has dedicated $3 million of that for direct payments to commercial, for hire, aquaculture, and seafood processing operations whose 2020 revenue has suffered a loss of greater than 35% due to COVID-19.

Read the full story at NottinghamMD.com

Nature Conservancy purchasing millions of surplus oysters to offset COVID-19 losses

October 21, 2020 — The Nature Conservancy announced 21 October it plans to help struggling oyster farmers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by purchasing five million surplus oysters.

The oysters, according to a release from The Nature Conservancy, will be used in nearby oyster restoration projects in order to rebuild 27 acres of “imperiled native shellfish reefs.” Partnering on the initiative are The Pew Charitable Trusts, and the action is being coordinated with efforts taken by NOAA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Restaurant, small business groups criticize new PPP legislation

October 21, 2020 — The restaurant industry and small business organizations in the United States are voicing their displeasure with a proposed second round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) legislation.

“The Paycheck Protection Program didn’t work for restaurants in March and it won’t work now,” the Independent Restaurant Coalition said in a press release. “Since the program began, one in six restaurants has closed, 2.3 million people are no longer on the payroll, and USD 220 billion [EUR 185 billion] in revenue was lost in just the second quarter.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Senators Markey and Warren, and Reps. Moulton and Keating Request USDA Continue Purchasing Atlantic Seafood for Food Banks

October 21, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.):

Today, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-06) and Rep. William Keating (MA-09) wrote to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to express appreciation for the inclusion of Atlantic seafood in Section 32 purchases, based on requests from the Massachusetts lawmakers during the coronavirus pandemic, and to ask that the USDA continue to dedicate funds to the purchase of Atlantic pollock, haddock, and redfish. On May 4, the USDA announced a $20 million solicitation for these fish, but thus far only a single $4.4 million contract has been made. The lawmakers encourage the USDA to continue to dedicate the remaining funds to the purchase of more Atlantic seafood and to build on these initial partnerships by including the New England seafood industry in other USDA procurement programs, like the National School Lunch Program.

“Steady demand from regular USDA purchases will further support the industry’s recovery from the pandemic, help businesses operate with additional certainty, and direct surplus products to supply healthy meals to American families,” write the lawmakers. “We ask that the USDA continue to dedicate those funds specifically to the purchase of Atlantic pollock, haddock, and redfish. Section 32 purchasing is a new type of market opportunity for Atlantic fishermen and processors and surplus stocks will remain accessible throughout next year.”

A copy of the letter can be found HERE.

CARES Act Funding Available for Maryland Fishing Industry

October 20, 2020 — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announces applications will be available Nov. 4 for economic relief funds for the commercial seafood industry through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), for those who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The application will be available to eligible members of the seafood industry on the Maryland OneStop website. The deadline to apply is Feb. 28, 2021.

In May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that Maryland would be receiving about $4 million. Maryland has dedicated $3 million of that for direct payments to commercial, for hire, aquaculture, and seafood processing operations whose 2020 revenue has suffered a loss of greater than 35% due to COVID-19. The remaining $1 million will fund seafood marketing and business support for individuals in the seafood industry. Maryland worked with NOAA to develop this spending plan based on the provisions of the CARES Act and federal guidance. Funds will be distributed through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Read the full story at The Bay Net

Scientists complete Pacific halibut survey despite COVID restrictions

October 20, 2020 — A “resounding success” is how scientists summed up this summer’s Pacific halibut survey, despite it being shortened and scaled down due to constraints related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The so-called fishery-independent setline survey uses standardized methods to track population trends in the Pacific halibut stock, which ranges from the U.S. West Coast to British Columbia, Canada, and the far reaches of the Bering Sea.

Read the full story at Seafood Source