The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a secretarial disaster designation for the aquaculture sector in Suffolk County, New York, allowing commercial oystermen to access low-interest loans.
“Early last month, I urged the USDA to take swift action to declare Suffolk County a disaster area and help our aquaculture growers get the assistance they need to recover and move forward,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said. “With this secretarial disaster declaration, the producers who have seen economic loss can now take advantage of low-interest loans to help ensure they’re able to sustain their operations. I have long been committed to helping this important agricultural sector grow and thrive, and the state will continue to support the industry through this hardship.”
Hochul asked for the disaster designation last month, claiming that cold weather and icy conditions in February prevented oystermen from working. The state estimated the weather caused USD 2.4 million (EUR 2 million) in damages and a 30 percent loss in production at aquaculture operations.
“The damage our shellfish growers saw this winter was unprecedented, with severe damage costing them millions of dollars,” New York Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said in a release. “I am thankful to the governor for her ongoing support of the industry and request to the USDA for this secretarial disaster declaration. By elevating our concerns to the USDA, our growers will now have access to emergency loans that will offer financial relief to area farmers.”
With the disaster designation in place, aquaculture operators in Suffolk County and Nassau County are now eligible for emergency loans from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency.
State officials also asked aquaculture operators to submit landing reports to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which will be used to apply for a federal fisheries disaster designation from NOAA Fisheries. If granted, that designation would open up the state’s aquaculture sector for direct financial relief from the federal government.
“The shellfish aquaculture populations across Long Island’s coastal waters were devastated during winter weather, impacting growers who rely on these resources for their livelihoods,” New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton said in a release. “DEC encourages impacted business owners to submit fishery revenue information and landing reports as the next step in obtaining a potential NOAA Fishery Disaster Declaration.”
Officials in Maryland, which also saw its oyster industry impacted by severe cold and icy conditions, have also asked for a fisheries disaster designation.
