Grant aimed at rebuilding fishing industry

Three years after hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Louisiana coast’s fishing industry, three state agencies are offering grants, loans and direct aid to help with the recovery process.

Monies available to area fishermen are intended to help repair or rebuild the fisheries infrastructure, according to Christina Stephens of the Louisiana Recovery Authority.

The state’s fishing industry suffered an economic loss of $1.3 billion from Hurricane Katrina alone, studies by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimate.

“Getting Louisiana fishermen back on the water is a top priority to the state,” LRA Executive Director Paul Rainwater said in a release. “Not only is the fishing industry a huge economic sector in Louisiana, but it is also a way of life for many of our residents.”

LRA, the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Louisiana Economic Development have teamed to provide $80 million in relief funds in Phase II of the state Business Recovery Grant and Loan program. A combination of grants and zero-interest loans for recovering businesses are available through community-based financing intermediaries across the region.

“Working with our state partners, we have been able to commit millions of dollars to the fishing industry; however, we realize that this is just the tip of the iceberg,” Rainwater said. “We will continue to keep this recovery a top priority and find creative ways to commit more funds to this critical industry.”

Approximately 1,000 fishermen received grants in Phase 1 of the recovery program, totaling more than $15 million.

Stephens said with extensive input from local fishermen, adjustments have been made that should have a significant impact on the fisheries sector.

For example, businesses now have the option to substitute a $20,000 tangible loss in place of the revenue decline requirement. Because many local fishermen took on enormous personal and business debt, their loss after the 2005 hurricanes did not meet the revenue decline requirement in Phase I. “Still they had significant physical losses,” Stephens said.

Small business owners, including self-employed fishermen, are eligible to apply for the program.

Information on the program is available online at louisianaforward.com or by calling 1-877-610-3533.

Help is also available through a direct-aid program being administered by the LDWF.

The program is targeted at state commercial fishermen, certain commercial fishing vessel license holders and wholesale/retail seafood dealers with trip ticket recorded sales or purchases of seafood during the 12 months prior to Hurricane Katrina.

Louisiana resident charter boat operators who held a valid LDWF charter boat fishing guide license in the qualifying period also qualify for personal assistance payments.

The deadline for the LDWF program is Oct. 31.

The South Central Planning and Development Commission is the clearinghouse for the program. Questions regarding the program or eligibility can be directed to 1-800-630-3791 or (985) 655-1051. Online visit scpdc.org/fisheriesassistance.

Through its fisheries infrastructure program, the LRA has directed millions to the Tri-parishes’ fishing communities.

Morgan City was awarded $1.3 million to build an ice and cold storage facility, as well as improving a docking and loading site. In addition, Terrebonne Parish was given $730,000 to rehabilitate and improve area boat landings. An additional $296,600 was awarded to the Houma Marina to install safe harbor mooring piles, dredge Bayou Terrebonne and install a pedestrian fishing pier along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.