COVID Relief Funding for Saltwater Fishery-Related Businesses

Grants to Delaware fishery-related businesses, including recreational and commercial fishing businesses, seafood processors and dealers, bait and tackle shops, and shellfish aquaculture businesses to mitigate revenue loss due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Funding is intended to assist saltwater fishery-related businesses that have incurred net revenue losses greater than 35% during the COVID-19 impact period compared to their average net revenue for the prior five full years (2015 through 2019).

Eligible Saltwater Fishery-Related Businesses
- Commercial Fishing
- Shellfish Aquaculture
- For-hire Recreational Fishing (includes charter and head boats)
- Bait and Tackle Shops (revenue must come from the sale of saltwater bait and tackle, and 75% of the shop’s revenue most come from those sources)
- Seafood Processors
- Seafood Dealers

Relief funds are available to saltwater fishery-related businesses that have incurred net revenue losses greater than 35% during the COVID-19 impact period compared to their average net revenue for the prior five full years (2015 through 2019).

An applicant cannot be made “more than whole” when combining the amount of financial assistance received from CARES Act Section 12005, other programs in the CARES Act (e.g., Payment Protection Program), and an applicant’s traditional revenue stream for the year 2020.

If the fishery-related business was in operation for less than the specified five years, the average net revenue for the number of years that a business operated through 2019 may be used, but the business must have operated for at least one full year during 2015 through 2019.

The fishery-related business did not need to operate during the entire COVID-19 impact period in 2020 but must have operated for at least 28 consecutive days during the impact period.

The fishery-related business owner/licensee must be at least 18 years old.

Non-resident owners/licensees of a Delaware fishery-related business must be a resident in a state that did not receive CARES Act Section 12005 assistance, were not “made whole” by the CARES Act Section 12005 or other CARES Act assistance they received, and have a Delaware business license, commercial fishing license, or aquaculture lease operating in Delaware.

Learn more here.