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State Announces Outreach Meetings for $22.7 Million Fisheries Recovery Programs
Posted: 2/19/10

Next week the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Louisiana Recovery Authority, in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Louisiana State University and Louisiana SeaGrant, will host a series of four outreach meetings across coastal Louisiana to discuss the launch of a $22.7 million program designed to further assist Louisiana’s fisheries affected by hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008. 

“Louisiana’s fisheries were devastated by four major hurricanes in just three years time and incurred over $750 million dollars in economic losses,” said LDWF Secretary Robert Barham.  “These recovery dollars allow us to put long-term programs in place that will allow our industry to better respond following future storms.  By streamlining our efforts across state agencies, we are also able to ensure the maximum amount of funding reaches those fishermen and businesses still recovering.”

“The fisheries industry is vital to Louisiana’s economic success, and through these programs we will be able to assist these business owners who are still struggling to recover from the 2008 hurricanes so that they can continue to sell one of Louisiana’s greatest exports -- its seafood -- across the nation,” said LRA Executive Director Robin Keegan.

These outreach meetings will offer further explanation, including timelines, applications periods and criteria, on the three separate programs offered: 

1. Commercial Fishermen Grant and Loan Program , which is open to commercial fishermen who suffered losses after hurricane Gustav and Ike and will provide low-interest loans and grant awards of up to $100,000;  
2. Gear Technology Grant and Loan Program , which will assist eligible commercial fishers, crabbers, oystermen and crawfishermen impacted by Gustav and Ike who need to obtain, upgrade or modernize equipment and gear for their vessels;
3. Wholesale Dealer/Broker Grant and Loan Program , which will provide low-interest loans and grant awards of up to $150,000 to wholesale dealers and brokers.

Times and dates of outreach meetings are as follows:

*Subsequent meetings in your area may be requested by contacting Christina Hendrick at fishgrants@wlf.la.gov or by calling 225.765.0033.

This week, LDWF mailed more than 12,000 postcards, that provide information regarding meeting dates and time, to licensed commercial fishermen in 2008 who may qualify for one or more of these programs.

The funding for these programs is part of a $1 billion pool of disaster recovery Community Development Block Grant funds awarded to Louisiana by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for damages inflicted by hurricanes Gustav and Ike. The LRA dedicated a total of $32.7 million to fisheries recovery between programs for fishermen and infrastructure.

All meetings are open to the public.

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