Local fishing industry businesses that took losses due to Super Storm Sandy will now have access to $3.6 million in grant funding being made available by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The grants are aimed at reimbursing sectors of New York’s fishing industry impacted by the October 2012 storm. Sectors include: bait and tackle; for-hire fishing boat operators; marinas; commercial harvesters; commercial seafood dealers, shippers or processors; and aquaculture facilities.
Fishing businesses in eligible counties must complete an application and provide documentation to demonstrate more than $5,000 in revenue or gross income loss as a result of Superstorm Sandy, and have at least $15,000 in annual earnings in one of the eligible fishery sectors. Businesses in Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester counties are eligible to apply.
The N.Y. State Department of Environmental Conservation, in collaboration with the governor’s office of storm recovery, will administer the Superstorm Sandy Fishery Disaster Relief Program, Assemblyman Fred Thiele announced yesterday.
DEC will accept applications through December 15. Funding will be distributed to eligible applicants following the close of the application period.
Eligible businesses can apply online. Several public information meetings to explain the grant program and to provide application assistance will be held in Long Island, New York City and the lower Hudson Valley.
More information on the meetings to be scheduled in the coming weeks and for more information about the program or for assistance with filling out the application is available on DEC’s website.
For additional information, applicants can also contact DEC at (518) 402-8044 or FisheryGrant@dec.ny.gov, or the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery at 1-855-NYS-SANDY (1-855-697-7263) or info@stormrecovery.ny.gov.
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