Fishery Relief Assistance Programs

The state of Rhode Island has received federal disaster relief funds for the herring fishery for activity between 2014-2018. RIDEM will allocate $238,673 in relief funds to commercial fishing license holders who owned a permitted vessel and actively participated in commercial Atlantic herring fishery in state or federal waters during this five-year period. All eligible harvesters will be contacted directly by the RIDEM Division of Marine Fisheries with an affidavit and application to apply for relief funds.

Regulations Part 27 - Regulations Governing the Administration of Federal Herring Fisheries Disaster Relief Funding Provided to the State of Rhode Island

The RIDEM, Division of Marine Fisheries will be using congressional economic relief funds funneled through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to assist the Rhode Island Lobster Industry in compliance with the recent Addendum to the ASMFC Fishery Management Plans– ASMFC Addendum XXIX to Amendment 3 to the American Lobster Fishery Management Plan; Addendum IV to the Jonah Crab Fishery Management Plan. RI DMF administers the tracking program to federal fishery permit holders with principal ports in Rhode Island and will be using the available funds to directly purchase electronic tracking devices and data plans on behalf of permit holders. Rhode Island will notify you by US mail if your vessel requires a tracking device. If you believe you are an eligible permit holder and have not received an application in the mail please contact the RI DMF Vessel Tracking Team at DEM.VMS@dem.ri.gov or at (401) 560-4090.

Beginning December 15th, 2023, all Rhode Island federal lobster trap permit holders for areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and Outer Cape Cod must have installed an approved tracking device prior to trap fishing. Through an application, approved harvesters will be able to choose from two of the type approved VMS device vendors. Once delivered, electronic tracking devices are the property of the ordering entity and all responsibility for maintenance and operation of requisite tracking devices is solely their responsibility. All future device purchases and data service agreements shall be between vendors and harvesters.

State Regulations – To Be Developed

ASMFC Fishery Management Plan– ASMFC Addendum XXIX to Amendment 3 to the American Lobster Fishery Management Plan; Addendum IV to the Jonah Crab Fishery Management Plan

Presentation from the May 2, 2023 Question and Answer Session

 

Permit Holders Requirements

• Devices must remain attached to your federally permitted vessel, powered, and transmitting data while the vessel is in the water. Trackers are required regardless of landing state, trip type, location fished, or target species.
• If a device malfunctions or the vessel is out of the water, permit holders must alert DMF (see device failure protocol below).
• Tracking devices collect vessel positions once per minute. The device may collect positions once per day if vessel is in its berth.
• Devices must be installed to device vendor specifications. Tampering with tracking devices is not permitted.  
• Complete tracker requirements are in Section 3.1 of the document found here:  Addendum XXIX

 

ASMFC and RI Approved Vessel Tracking Devices and Contact Information

Administration of Vessel Trackers

• DMF administers the tracking program to federal fishery permit holders with principal ports in Rhode Island. Rhode Island will notify you by US mail if your vessel requires a tracking device. 
• DMF validates tracking data for trips with electronic tracking requirements landing in Rhode Island. DMF may contact you with questions regarding your vessel tracker and/or trip reports. GARFO may contact you to resolve federal VTR issues.
• An installation affidavit will be mailed to the address on your federal fishery permit.
  • Mail the completed affidavit to:
    • Division of Marine Fisheries, 3 Fort Wetherill Road, Jamestown, RI 02835 (401-423-1923)
    • Division of Coastal Resources, 301 Great Island Road, Narragansett, RI 02882 (401-783-5551)
  • or email to:
    • DEM.VMS@dem.ri.gov.
  • DMF will then verify your device transmits correctly and provide a receipt. 

 

Device Failure Protocol

• If your tracking device breaks, please contact RIDMF at (401) 560-4090 or email DEM.VMS@dem.ri.gov. Contact your device vendor or their representative to repair or replace trackers in the event of device failure. 
• DMF staff may also alert you of problems with your tracking device. If so, contact your device vendor or their representative to repair or replace trackers.
• Permit holders must repair or replace devices within 14 days of device failure. Within these 14 days, permit holders may continue to fish. RIDMF may provide a letter of authorization to fish without a device after the 14-day period in limited circumstances.

 

More Information

If you need further information, please call our office during business hours at (401) 560-4090 or email us anytime at DEM.VMS@dem.ri.gov.

The Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety Block Grant Program provides grants to eligible state agencies and territories to support seafood processors, including at-sea processing vessels, to respond to coronavirus, including for measures to protect workers against COVID-19. The federal grant opportunity was publicly noticed by the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service on September 22, 2021 and can be found at the links provided below.

RIDEM is the sole Rhode Island applicant for this block grant. USDA has determined that the Rhode Island allocation of SPRS funding is $371,412. Upon receipt of these funds, RIDEM will provide direct payments to eligible seafood processors, dealers and processing vessels to reimburse them for eligible expenses incurred between January 27, 2020 and December 31, 2021, upon application to RIDEM and subject to the limits of RI’s total allocation.

RIDEM has been conducting outreach to ensure that eligible beneficiaries are aware of this relief and understand the requirements of the funding opportunity. Two public meetings have been held to date.

Regulations Part 20 - Regulations Governing the Administration of the Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety Block Grant Provided to the State of Rhode Island by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service Under Title VII, Subtitle B, § 751 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. Law 116-260 (H.R. 133) in Response to the Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic

Based on the public input provided at these meetings, RIDEM will develop and submit an application for the RI block grant by November 22, 2021, the application deadline. Upon receipt of the grant, which is expected in January 2022, RIDEM will launch a second phase of public meetings, including a regulatory workshop and hearing, to finalize the details of the program. Soon thereafter, an application period for eligible RI-based processors, dealers and processing vessels will be announced. A preliminary estimate for the timing of this application period is March-April 2022. 

Refer to this page for meeting notices and program updates as they become available. For direct receipt of notifications pertaining to this program, as well as other RI marine fisheries meetings, notices, and general information, subscribe to the RIDEM Marine Fisheries email list by clicking on this link.

Additional Resources

• SPRS program page
• SPRS program FAQs

Note for aquaculturists

Please be aware that this SPRS program does not include funding for aquaculturists. The USDA has an alternate program (Pandemic Response and Safety Grants) for aquaculturists to apply directly to the USDA for disaster relief funding. Refer to the below link for program details. https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/prs

Questions about this program can be directed to Dan Costa, State Port Manager, at 401-782-4587 or dan.costa@dem.ri.gov.

The RIDEM, Division of Marine Fisheries will be using economic relief funds funneled through NOAA Fisheries to assist the Rhode Island Lobster Industry in compliance with the recent NOAA final rule implementing changes to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. The funds will be used to assist the industry in compliance with weak line and or weak line insert requirements which are accepted by NOAA to mitigate serious injury and mortality of large whales but specifically North Atlantic Right Whales. The funds will be used to replace or modify current gear configurations and help to defer the associated cost for these modifications. Each active participant will be given the opportunity to acquire replacement vertical line or weak line inserts purchased by the Department to comply with the take reduction plan, with the eligibility amount to be based on an individual’s trap allocation, fishing activity and corresponding vertical lines.

Regulations Part 26 - Regulations Governing the Use of Federal Funds Provided to the State of Rhode Island for the Large Whale Gear Modification Assistance Plan

Regulations Part 17 - Emergency Regulations Governing the Administration of Federal Fisheries Disaster Relief Funding Provided to the State of Rhode Island Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021

On March 29, 2021, NOAA Fisheries announced the allocation of an additional $255 million in fisheries assistance funding for coastal states provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The funding will support activities previously authorized under Sec. 12005 of the CARES Act. It will be allocated to states and territories with coastal and marine fishery participants who have been negatively affected by COVID-19.

For More Information:

• NOAA Announcement
• Secretary of Commerce Announcement

There are 4 groups eligible for relief funds; aquaculture, commercial fishing, party and charter, and seafood processors.

Regulations Part 16 - Emergency Regulations Governing the Administration of Federal Fisheries Relief Funding Provided to the State of Rhode Island Under the CARES Act

The Commercial Fishing Microgrant Program is a pilot grant program that will provide competitive small grants (up to $5,000) to seafood businesses and commercial fishermen to bolster their efforts in the commercial fishing industry. The purpose of this grant is to allow fishermen to focus their efforts on expanding their landings and build their businesses from the decline experienced during COVID-19 pandemic.  This can include grants for technology updates, equipment purchases, safety equipment or training for new staff, and other expenses that would otherwise prevent fishermen from furthering their business. Applications are closed. Awards will be announced soon.

For additional information or questions, contact Molly Ogren, Chair of the Seafood Marketing Collaborative at Molly.Ogren@dem.ri.gov or Jordyn Kastlunger, Fisheries Marketing Specialist at Jordyn.Kastlunger.ctr@dem.ri.gov