The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is seeking applications to provide COVID-19 Relief for New York State’s Great Lakes For-Hire and Commercial Fishing Industries.
Donor Name: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
State: New York
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 04/15/2022
Details:
Purpose
- Identify qualifying industry sectors and specify criteria for relief aid qualification among businesses in major Lake Erie and Lake Ontario fisheries-related industries.
- Notify potentially eligible applicants in each sector and provide terms for relief qualification.
- Review all initial and appealed applications for eligibility.
- Establish a direct payment schedule of qualified applicants.
- Provide the GLFC with a list of qualified applicants and their respective payments per sector.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for relief funding, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- A resident of New York State
- 18 years or older at time of application (awards may not be made to minors)
- An active participant in one of the following fishery related sectors in 2020 and/or 2021 and previous years with documented fishing history as required under the Spend Plan:
- A licensed commercial fisherman operating in the New York waters of Lake Erie or Lake Ontario, including the Upper and Lower Niagara River and the St. Lawrence River, OR
- A for-hire (charter) fishing business in operation in the New York waters of Lake Erie or Lake Ontario, including the Upper and Lower Niagara River and the St. Lawrence River.
- Businesses ineligible for CARES Act II fisheries relief funding include fish processors/dealers, bait and tackle shops, vessel repair businesses, boat yards, restaurants, and seafood retailers.
- Demonstrate a loss in revenue greater than 35% from commercial or for-hire fishing operations caused directly or indirectly by the COVID-19 pandemic, during the period 1 March – 31 December 2020 and/or 1 January – 31 December 2021, for at least 30 consecutive days, relative to the average income generated over the same time period for the previous five years (2015-2019).
- Businesses must have been in operation for two of the three years immediately prior to 2020 (2017-2019) to be eligible to apply.
- Businesses operating for the first time in 2019 will not qualify.
- Only one period of revenue loss of a minimum of 30 consecutive days may be claimed per year.
- If the applicant suffered losses in both 2020 and 2021, application must be submitted twice, once for each year.
For more information, visit Great Lakes Fisheries Relief Program.
