Tag Archives: disaster aid

SEEKING HELP: West Coast Senators ask for disaster aid for fisheries in the next 2017 disaster funding package.

In a bipartisan push led by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, all eight West Coast Senators—Merkley, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) — today called on congressional leaders and the Trump administration to include disaster aid for fisheries in the next 2017 disaster funding package. click here to read the story 15:00

Bureaucratic Run Around – Fishing crews still playing waiting game for disaster aid

“It’s just not right that these guys are having to wait as long as they have,” said longtime Gloucester boat owner Joe Orlando said. Peter Lorenz, spokesman for the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, which oversees the Division of Marine Fisheries, said DMF hopes to begin supplying applications for the crew and shore-side portions of the financial assistance by the end of March.”The crews were told they would have money for Christmas,” said Manchester captain and boat owner Richard Burgess. Read the rest here  20:41

NOAA disperses final $13M for 2012 king salmon disaster

cashThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced on Jan. 12 the approval of a second round of disaster funds for research and to be distributed to fishermen who were negatively impacted by the chinook salmon fishery disasters in 2012; $13 million of the total $20.8 million will be paid out to a variety of sport and commercial users. Read the rest here 20:04

NJ Fisheries Disaster Aid Information – No applications will be accepted after October 31, 2014.

The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife is announcing the availability of Fisheries Disaster Direct Assistance Grants for individuals and businesses in New Jersey’s fishing industries that have documented uninsured losses as a result of Superstorm Sandy. Approximately $2.1 million in federal funding has been approved by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for New Jersey as part of a federal fishery disaster that was determined by the U.S. Department of Commerce for the states of New Jersey and New York. Read the rest here 20:02

$1.6 million in disaster aid split among 50 Maine fishermen

“The fishermen have been regulated so tightly they can’t earn a livelihood anymore,” he said. Maine fishermen have stayed within their catch limits for years but have suffered the consequences of “inflexible federal regulations,” Gov. Paul LePage said in a prepared statement. “I am glad that this economic relief will give Maine fishermen the flexibility to make an investment in their future, because our fishermen want a hand up, not a handout,” LePage said. Read more here 21:10

House pegs fisheries for $75M disaster aid; NOAA staying here

gdt iconIn the first instance of tangible federal financial assistance following the declaration of a fisheries disaster in 2012, congressional appropriators have included $75 million in disaster aid to fishermen and fishing communities in the $1 trillion Congressional spending bill. Read more@gdt  12:15

 

Editorial: Fishery ‘disaster’ aid out of place in Sandy bill – disaster was largely created by Lubchenco and NOAA

Yes, fishermen are entitled to disaster aid stemming from the economic calamity documented more than a year ago by Gov. Deval Patrick through the marine science program at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. And the Sandy relief bill — which would grant aid to Middle Atlantic fishermen directly affected by that storm — gives Kerry and other fishing state lawmakers an avenue to seek the aid that was never even referenced in the September economic disaster declaration announced by acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank.  Read more