The Louisiana Department
of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced today the extension
of the deadline to submit required forms for the Hurricane
Katrina and Rita Federal Fisheries Economic Assistance program
to Dec. 1, 2008.
The program was
created for prequalified (2004-2005) licensed resident commercial
fishermen, certain commercial fishing vessel license holders,
wholesale/retail seafood dealers and charter boat fishing
guides impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
To date, LDWF has
dispensed $18.8 million to more than 3,700 qualified applicants.
In May 2008, LDWF mailed nearly 9,000 information packets
to individuals and entities that were determined prequalified
for the program. Although some eligible participants have
chosen not to participate, approximately 1,700 eligible participants
have failed to submit necessary documents.
“In consideration
of the number of participants who have not responded, LDWF
has extended this deadline to provide added economic opportunity
to those in the Louisiana fishing industry,” said LDWF
Secretary Robert Barham.
LDWF is providing
$28.2 million in assistance to the state's commercial fishing
and charter boat industries through a $41.3 million federal
fisheries economic assistance grant from the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration through the Gulf States Marine
Fisheries Commission. Louisiana resident 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-month period (Sept. 1, 2004 - Aug.
31, 2005) prior to Hurricane Katrina as well as Louisiana
resident charter boat operators who held a LDWF charter boat
fishing guide license in the qualifying period (Sept. 1, 2004
- Aug. 31, 2005) qualify for some level of personal assistance.
LDWF requires trip
tickets to collect commercial landings and associated information
by trip. Trip tickets dated during the eligible period but
submitted after Sept. 1, 2007 will not be considered.
LDWF is administering
the distribution of personal assistance payments to qualified
resident charter boat fishing guides, commercial resident
shrimp, oyster, crab, and saltwater finfish fishermen and
certain commercial fishing vessel license holders in the shrimp,
oyster, saltwater fish and menhaden fisheries and wholesale/retail
seafood dealers and freshwater finfish and wild crawfish fishermen
who resided in the 27 LDWF- defined hurricane impacted parishes
using trip ticket report records.
The South
Central Planning and Development Commission (SCPDC) and affiliated
planning districts are receiving and processing all information
about this assistance program and anyone who is qualified
to receive assistance and has not received a packet should
contact the SCPDC as soon as possible by calling 1-800-630-3791
(toll-free) or 985 655-1051 (local) or mailing SCPDC at P.O.
Box 1240, Gray, LA 70359-9902 or visiting the SCPDC Web site
at www.scpdc.org/fisheriesassistance.
Any questions concerning eligibility, requests for information,
etc. should also be directed to the SCPDC.
Many eligible participants
have moved or been displaced by the Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita as well as Gustav and Ike and have not renewed their
fishing licenses, leaving LDWF with out-dated address information.
LDWF is examining all available databases in order to contact
non-respondents and suggests that anyone in touch with these
qualifying participants urge them to contact the SCPDC as
soon as possible.
