Pallone Announces New Jersey Fishing Industry will Receive an Additional $9.5 Million

Press Release

Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today announced that New Jersey's fishing industry will receive $9.5 million from the omnibus and coronavirus relief bill Congress passed and was signed into law last December. The bill included an additional $300 million for the fishing industry in the United States to support businesses with losses incurred in the second half of 2020.

This is the second round of funding New Jersey has received as part of legislation Congress has passed to alleviate the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, Pallone announced that New Jersey would receive $11 million in federal funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that Congress passed and was signed into law in March 2020 for losses businesses incurred in the first half of the year. The funding was allocated to aid commercial fishing businesses, charter and for-hire fishing businesses, aquaculture operations, processors, and other fishery-related businesses in New Jersey.

"New Jersey's fishing communities were deeply affected by the coronavirus pandemic, which is why I fought so hard to include robust funding for them in Congress," Congressman Pallone said. "I want the hardworking men and women who make our fishing industry so strong to know they have my support. I'm glad we were able to ensure that the fishing community in New Jersey is receiving assistance to weather this ongoing economic storm."

"NJDEP thanks Congressman Pallone and the New Jersey delegation for their leadership in helping New Jersey communities recover from the pandemic," said Acting Commissioner Shawn LaTourette. "Our fishing communities are a critical component of New Jersey's culture and economy, and their recovery helps drive our state's economic recovery."

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will distribute the $300 million, including the more than $9.5 million for New Jersey, to interstate marine fisheries commissions, which will then disburse funds to address fishery-related losses. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is expected to submit its spending plan to NOAA in the coming days. An announcement will be made in the coming weeks once eligible fishing businesses are able to apply for this latest round of aid.

New Jersey's commercial fishing industry generates over $8 billion annually supporting over 50,000 jobs and has one of the largest saltwater recreational fishing industries in the United States.

Source