[StBernard] State Outlines Assistance Programs Available to Fishermen

[Westley Annis]

State Outlines Assistance Programs Available to Fishermen

Baton Rouge, LA (June 3 2008) - Louisiana fishermen may be eligible for grants, loans and direct aid to assist in recovering from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, according to programs outlined today by the state. The Louisiana Recovery Authority, Louisiana Economic Development and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries have committed and are coordinating the distribution of millions of dollars in direct aid to fisherman and to repair or rebuild fisheries infrastructure.

"Getting Louisiana fishermen back on the water is a top priority to the state, not only is the fishing industry a huge economic sector in Louisiana but it is also a way of life for many of our residents," said Executive Director of the LRA Paul Rainwater. "Working with our state partners we have been able to commit millions of dollars to the fishing industry; however we realize that this is just the tip of the iceberg. We will continue to keep this recovery a top priority and find creative ways to commit more funds to this critical industry."

Studies conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimate that Hurricane Katrina alone generated more than $1.3 billion of economic loss on Louisiana's fishing industry. 

Business Recovery Grant and Loan 

Last week LED and the LRA announced the launch of Phase II of the Louisiana Business Recovery Grant and Loan program designed to support businesses recovering from the after-effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. State officials have made $80 million dollars available in a combination of grants and zero-interest loans for recovering businesses in this phase. The program will accept applications June 9 to July 18 through community-based financing intermediaries across the region. 

In Phase I of the Business Recovery Grant and Loan program approximately 1,000 fishermen received grants totaling more than $15 million. 

LED and LRA officials developed Phase II of the program with extensive input from local fishermen and have made adjustments that will have a significant impact on the fisheries sector. Local businesses now have the option to substitute a $20,000 tangible loss in place of the revenue decline requirement from Phase I of the program. Many of the fishermen who worked diligently to get back in business immediately after the hurricane did not meet the revenue decline requirement in Phase I, because they instead took on enormous amounts of personal and business debt to get back on the water. Still they had significant physical losses.

Informational sessions will be held around south Louisiana beginning Wednesday, May 28. Small business owners, including self-employed fishermen, are urged to attend these informational sessions to ensure their applications are accurate and complete before scheduling an intermediary interview to submit the application. All application received during the eligible period will be given the same consideration. 

For more information on the BRGL program visit www.louisianaforward.com <http://www.louisianaforward.com>  or call 1-877-610-3533.

LDWF Direct Aid program

Fishermen may also be eligible for direct aid through $27.6 million in assistance available to the state's commercial fishing industries through a $41.3 million federal fisheries economic assistance grant from the NOAA through the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission being administered by LDWF. 

Louisiana residents, commercial fishermen, certain commercial fishing vessel license holders and wholesale/retail seafood dealers with trip ticket recorded sales or purchases of seafood during the 12 month period (September 1, 2004 through August 31, 2005) prior to Hurricane Katrina may qualify for some level of personal assistance. LDWF requires trip tickets to collect commercial landings and associated information by trip.

To qualify for assistance you must have reported LDWF trip ticket sales or purchases of any type of the following seafood during the qualifying period AND have held one or more LDWF licenses as follows:

*	Sales of shrimp, oyster, crab, or saltwater finfish and held a Resident Commercial Fisherman's License; and/or
*	Sales of shrimp, oyster, saltwater fish or menhaden and held a Resident Commercial Fishing Vessel License; and/or
*	Sales of freshwater finfish or wild caught crawfish and held a Resident Commercial Fisherman's License and resided in any of the 26 LDWF-defined hurricane impacted parishes; and/or
*	Purchases of shrimp, oyster, crab, or saltwater finfish and held a Resident Wholesale/Retail Seafood Dealer License; and/or
*	Purchases of freshwater finfish or wild caught crawfish and held a Resident Wholesale/Retail Seafood Dealer License and resided in any of the 26 LDWF-defined hurricane impacted parishes

Louisiana resident charter boat operators who held a LDWF charter boat fishing guide license in the qualifying period also qualify for personal assistance payments. 

LDWF will administer the distribution of personal assistance payments to qualified commercial resident shrimp, oyster, crab and saltwater finfish fishermen and certain commercial fishing vessel license holders in the shrimp, oyster, saltwater fish and menhaden fisheries and wholesale/retail seafood dealers and freshwater finfish and wild crawfish fishermen who resided in the 26 LDWF-defined hurricane impacted parishes using trip ticket report records. Trip tickets dated during the eligible period but submitted after September 1, 2007, will not be considered. 

More than 8,000 information packets were mailed during the week of May 12 to individuals and entities that LDWF has been able to identify from pre-storm trip ticket records. Those who receive packets to open it immediately, follow the enclosed instructions, and return the required forms using the business-reply envelope provided by the October 31, 2008 deadline. 

The South Central Planning and Development Commission (SCPDC) and affiliated planning districts will receive and process all information about this assistance program on behalf of LDWF. Any questions concerning eligibility, requests for information, etc. should be directed to the SCPDC by calling 1-800-630-3791 (toll-free) or 985 655-1051 (local) or mailing SCPDC at P.O. Box 1240, Gray, LA 70359-9902 or visiting the SCPDC Web site at www.scpdc.org/fisheriesassistance <http://www.scpdc.org/fisheriesassistance> .

LRA Fisheries Infrastructure program

It is estimated that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed more than $528 million in fisheries infrastructure in Louisiana's fishing communities with millions more in losses to supporting industries. In March the LRA announced the funding of 15 infrastructure improvement projects to repair the heavily damaged fisheries industry across South Louisiana that totaled nearly $19 million. 

The program uses Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to provide grants for building projects that improve the viability and long-term sustainability of the commercial and recreational fisheries of coastal Louisiana.

Click here for a list of projects funded. <http://www.lra.louisiana.gov/assets/fishwinningproposals060208.pdf>  

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated South Louisiana, claiming 1,464 lives, destroying more than 200,000 homes and 18,000 businesses. The Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) is the planning and coordinating body that was created in the aftermath of these storms to lead one of the most extensive rebuilding efforts in the world. The LRA is a 33-member body which is coordinating across jurisdictions, supporting community recovery and resurgence, ensuring integrity and effectiveness, and planning for the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana. 

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