Ncdeq will use $7,520,272 to provide direct assistance to stakeholders to support more resiliency within communities and industries

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) was awarded a $7.72 million project grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Fisheries Disaster Relief (CFDA 11.477) program. NCDEQ will use $7.52 million to provide direct financial assistance to stakeholders in North Carolina's commercial fishing industry to support resiliency, including seafood dealers and processors, for-hire fishing operations, bait-and-tackle businesses, and ocean fishing pier operations. The remaining $200,000 will fund administrative support and supplies to facilitate the project. The direct assistance aims to help fishing-dependent businesses in North Carolina continue as important economic drivers while minimizing potential impacts to the ecosystem. This NOAA funding supports NCDEQ's efforts to ensure the continued viability of the state's commercial fishing industry in the face of fishery resource disasters.

Direct assistance will be provided to seafood dealers and processors, the for-hire fishing operations, bait-and-tackle businesses, and ocean fishing pier operations. The remaining $200,000 will be used to fund administrative support and supplies to facilitate this project. The identified projects will help north carolina commercial fishers, seafood processors and dealers, and fishing-dependent businesses continue to be important economic drivers of the community, while minimizing any potential impacts to the ecosystem. The financial assistance to these essential components of the fishing industry will help to ensure the continued viability of this industry. No new research or actions that could impact the environment are proposed.