Future Disaster Relief

Updated 9/28/2023

 

Future Federal Fishery Disaster Relief

 

On May 18th, 2023 the the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the allocation of over $220 million in fishery disaster funding. The funding will address fishery disasters that occurred in multiple Alaska and Washington fisheries between 2019 and 2023.

 

In the coming months, NOAA Fisheries will work with the states receiving allocations under this announcement on administering these disaster relief funds. Fishing communities and individuals affected by these disasters should work with their respective states in the development of the spend plans. 

 

WASHINGTON

 

• 2019 Washington Columbia River, Willapa Bay, and Puget Sound Salmon Disaster – $3,760,439

• 2020 Washington Ocean Salmon Disaster – $3,455,150

 

For questions regarding regarding the development of Washington disaster spend plans please write to: fisheriesdisasterrelief@dfw.wa.gov

 

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ALASKA

 

• 2020 Copper River / Prince William Sound Salmon Disaster – $15,730,357

• 2020/2021 Norton Sound Red King Crab Disaster – $2,804,214

• 2021 Chignik Salmon Disaster – $4,989,902

• 2021 Kuskokwim River and Norton Sound Salmon Disaster – $1,268,317

• 2021/2022 Bering Sea Crab Disaster  -$94,489,726
  • Initial Draft Spend Plan – 9/28/2023

• 2022/2023 Bering Sea Crab Disaster – $96,621,465
  • Initial Draft Spend Plan – 9/28/2023

 

Comments will be requested as the individual spend plans for each of these fishery disasters are drafted; and the public will be notified via e-mail and press release.

 

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On November 7th, 2022 the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) alerted the Pacific Stats Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) that we would be administering ~$131.8 million for fishery disaster assistance to respond to the impacts of the following federal fishery disaster in the state of Alaska:

 

ALASKA

 

• 2019 Norton Sound Red King Crab Disaster – $1,433,137
  • ADF&G submitted the final draft spend plan on 11/02/2022. 
  • PSMFC submitted the grant application for this disaster on 05/31/2023.
  • It is currently being reviewed by NOAA. 

 

• 2018 Upper Cook Inlet East Side Set Net & 2020 Upper Cook Inlet Salmon Disaster – $9,404,672
  • ADF&G submitted the final draft spend plan on 9/6/2023. 
  • PSMFC submitted the grant application for this disaster on 9/11/2023.
  • It is currently being reviewed by NOAA. 

 

• 2018 & 2020 Copper River and Prince William Sound Salmon Disaster – $34,326,265
  • ADF&G submitted the final draft spend plan on 8/24/2023. 
  • PSMFC submitted the grant application for this disaster on 9/11/2023.
  • It is currently being reviewed by NOAA. 

 

• 2019/2020 Bering Sea Tanner Crab Disaster – $12,935,199
  • ADF&G submitted the final draft spend plan on 05/01/2023.
  • PSMFC submitted the grant application for this disaster on 05/31/2023.
  • It is currently being reviewed by NOAA. 

 

• 2020 Gulf of Alaska Pacific Cod Disaster – $17,772,540
  • ADF&G submitted the final draft spend plan on 07/11/2023.
  • PSMFC submitted the grant application for this disaster on 08/28/2023.
  • It is currently being reviewed by NOAA. 

 

• 2020/2021 Statewide Salmon Disaster – $55,928,849
  • ADF&G submitted the final draft spend plan on 04/14/2023.
  • PSMFC submitted the grant application for this disaster on 06/02/2023.
  • It is currently being reviewed by NOAA. 

 

Funds must be used in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act, and the NOAA Fisheries Disaster Policy. Funds may be expended for administrative processes as well as to sub-recipients. Funds can be used to address a range of impacts including impacts to commercial fishermen, recreational fishermen, charter businesses, subsistence users, processors, shore-side infrastructure, and the fishing ecosystem and environment. These funds should be used for activities that restore the fishery or prevent a similar failure in the future and assist fishing communities affected by such failure. NOAA strongly recommends that recipients utilize these funds to strengthen the long-term economic and environmental sustainability of the fishery. This can include, but is not limited to, activities such as habitat restoration, research, state-run buybacks, job retraining, and fishery-related infrastructure.

 

The Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game (ADF&G) will develop spend plans for each of the above disasters. These spend plans will be incorporated into grant applications by PSMFC. We are currently uncertain when spend plans will be submitted, reviewed, approved, or when funds will become available.

For information regarding respective spend plans, please contact the Alaska Dept. Fish and Game at: dfg.com.fisheriesdisasters@alaska.gov

 

ADF&G – Federal Fishery Disasters

 

Please if not already doing so, continue to monitor our website for updates. This will be our primary source for publicizing information/updates.