The federal government has approved Alaska’s plan to distribute almost $50 million in pandemic relief payments to the state’s fishing industry. The decision came after two major revisions to the plan and more than 200 public comments from every industry sector.
Applications will be accepted from March until May and payments could begin as early as June, public radio network CoastAlaska reported Feb. 26.
They money is coming from the federal CARES Act, a $2.2 trillion package of pandemic relief aid, which Congress passed almost a year ago. The state first sought public comment almost five months ago on its plan to divide the $50 million between different sectors of the fisheries industry.
“It really was a balance between getting the funds out quickly and developing a spending plan with the input of affected fishery participants,” said Alaska Department of Fish and Game Deputy Commissioner Rachel Baker.
The final details of the plan were published last week.
Commercial fisheries applicants will be required to provide evidence that the Coronavirus pandemic caused them to lose at least 35% of their revenue in 2020, as measured from March 1 to Nov. 30. That could include lower prices or lost sales.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old, and must have fished in 2018 and 2019.
Baker said the final plan excludes commercial permit holders who fish in Alaska but live in other states that received coronavirus relief. “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,” Baker said. “They’re not eligible to apply to the state of Alaska for funds.”
However, non-resident charter guides are eligible for a piece of Alaska’s $50 million if they have an Alaska business license, CoastAlaska reported.
Of the $50 million, more than $17.5 million will be earmarked for commercial fishermen and $16 million is designated for seafood processors, dealers, wholesalers and distributors.
Roughly $13 million will go to sport and charter guides and about $500,000 will go to the state’s aquaculture businesses.
About $2 million will go to rural households that had pandemic-induced problems accessing subsistence fisheries, with extra funds also available for households below the federal poverty line.
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