Juneau — The Secretary of Commerce announced allocation of $144 million appropriated by Congress for fishery disasters, of which $131.8 million is for Alaska. Allocations to specific fishery disasters are below.
2019 Norton Sound Red king crab fishery: $1,433,137
2020 Norton Sound, Yukon River, Kuskokwim River, Chignik, and Southeast Alaska salmon fisheries, and 2021 Yukon River salmon fishery: $55,928,849
2018 Upper Cook Inlet East Side Set Net and 2020 Upper Cook Inlet salmon fisheries: $9,404,672
2018 and 2020 Copper River and Prince William Sound salmon fisheries: $34,326,265
2019/2020 Eastern Bering Sea Tanner crab fishery: $12,935,199
2020 Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod fishery: $17,772,540
Alaska had submitted these requests for disaster relief after concluding that they qualified as disasters. Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang said “Alaska is pleased that Secretary concurred with these disaster applications and that awards have been made. These awards will offset some of the economic impacts fishermen and communities suffered as well as help ensure that future disasters are prevented.”
The State supports an open and transparent process for distributing disaster relief funds and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) will work with affected stakeholders and NOAA Fisheries to identify funding priorities and develop spend plans for each fishery disaster. Given the number of affected fisheries, ADF&G plans to host a listening session to receive initial input on funding priorities from affected fishery participants.
Disaster funds are intended to offset the harm incurred from a fishery failure. Disaster funds may be used to assess the economic and social effects of the fishery failure and for activities that restore the fishery or prevent a similar failure in the future. Disaster funds can be used to assist fishing communities affected by the fishery failure by helping commercial fishermen, subsistence users, and shore-side businesses and infrastructure. See the NOAA
