Eligible commercial fishers, for-hire fishing operators, seafood dealers and processors, and marine aquaculture operations that suffered revenue losses the spring of 2020 can apply for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act Fisheries Relief Program.
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The state received $5.4 million from the CARES Act to provide financial relief through direct payments to fishery-related stakeholder groups affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state Division of Marine Fisheries mailed application packets to eligible license, lease and permit holders, according to a release Tuesday from the state.
Applicants will be required to complete the application, an affidavit and provide materials documenting loss of revenue greater than 35% from March 1 to May 31, 2020, compared to the average revenue from the same period of the previous five-years.
Eligible stakeholders who did not receive an application in the mail or are not licensed by the division can obtain application packets on the CARES Act Fisheries Assistance Information webpage or at division offices.
The program is intended to put recipients in the same financial position they would be in had COVID-19 not occurred, but not exceed average earnings over the past five years.
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Applications and supporting documentation must delivered in person by 5 p.m. Nov. 30 to the division Headquarters Office at 3441 Arendell St., Morehead City or postmarked by 5 p.m. Nov. 30 and mailed to N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, CARES Act Fisheries Relief Program, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City N.C. 28557. Applications submitted after will not be considered.
For questions regarding the spending plan, email covid19relief@ncdenr.gov or call the division’s License and Statistics Office at 252-808-8105.
