On january 10 and january 13, 2024, maine experienced back-to-back coastal storms that brought wind gusts of more than 60 to 80 miles per hour and heavy rainfall

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded a $10,000,000 Cooperative Agreement under the Unallied Science Program (CFDA 11.472) to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to repair and renovate critical commercial fishing infrastructure on the Maine coast that was severely damaged by recent coastal storms. This funding will support the Maine Department of Marine Resources and Department of Transportation in administering a Working Waterfront Resiliency Grant Program to identify and address the highest priority infrastructure needs for Maine's commercial fishing industry. The award has a performance period from September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2027. The Unallied Science Program provides grants and cooperative agreements for biological, socioeconomic, and physical science research to contribute to the optimal management of marine ecosystems, fishery resources, and protected species.

Coastal communities statewide reported unprecedented damage to critical infrastructure, including roads, piers, wharfs, bridges, causeways, and docks. The destruction was catastrophic for commercial fishermen who depend upon this infrastructure for their livelihoods. The maine coast fishermen's association, which represents commercial fishermen up and down maine's coast, estimates that between 50 to 60 percent of maine's working waterfront infrastructure was either severely damaged or destroyed. Town officials in stonington, maine's most valuable fishing port, estimate $10 to $15 million in damage, mostly to private infrastructure. Given this devastation on maine's coast, president biden approved a major disaster declaration for eight maine counties, making much of these counties PUBLIC infrastructure eligible for federal funding. Given the unique (non-PUBLIC) ownership structure of much of maine's commercial fishing infrastructure, these owners are largely unable to access funding from traditional disaster sources, such as through the federal emergency management agency or the economic development administration. Consequently, the FY24 CJS explanatory statement included the following language: the senate language on north atlantic right whales is clarified to provide $36,000,000 to states through the atlantic states marine fisheries commission, of which, given the impacts of coastal erosion and increasing frequency and severity of coastal storms, $10,000,000 shall be provided through fisheries management programs and services to be used to repair and renovate infrastructure to support more sustainable fisheries. This $10 million provided to asmfc to repair and renovate infrastructure is critical to rebuild high priority commercial fishing infrastructure on the maine coast. The maine department of marine resources (DMR), in cooperation with the maine department of transportation (DOT), will be administering a working waterfront resiliency grant program. Through this program, they will identify the highest priority infrastructure needs for maine's commercial fishing industry.