$30 million in pandemic relief awarded to Alaska seafood processors

Alaska’s Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED) announced a grant program March 21 to distribute $30.6 million to Alaska’s seafood and shellfish processing sector.

The State of Alaska was allocated this funding under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety Block Grant Program. With this funding, DCCED will issue grants to owners of seafood processing facilities and processing vessels to reimburse for costs preparing for, preventing exposure to, and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Seafood processors operating in Alaska incurred substantial costs to comply with local, state, and federal COVID-19 mitigation policies in order to continue operations throughout 2020 and 2021,” said DCCED Commissioner Julie Sande. “By distributing these federal funds quickly through the Alaska Seafood Processors Pandemic Response Relief Program, we can provide critical assistance to an industry that is a vital component of Alaska’s economy and food security network.”

This grant program will be open to holders of seven seafood and shellfish processing permit types issued by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Costs must have been incurred between January 27, 2020, and December 31, 2021, to be considered for reimbursement, and eligible activities include workplace safety measures, retrofitting facilities, transportation, worker housing, and medical expenses.

Companies that hold more than one eligible processing permit may combine expenses for multiple operations into a single application.

The program application period will open at 8:00 am on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, and will close at 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 5, 2022. “This is not a first-come, first-served grant opportunity. Eligible seafood processors have a 30-day window to apply, and award amounts will be determined after all applications have been received and evaluated on demonstrated need,” the state DCCED said in a statement.

Grants will be awarded after the end of the application period and all applications received have been reviewed. Qualification for the program does not guarantee an award, the department said, and proration of final awards may be necessary due to demand.

More information on the Alaska Seafood Processors Pandemic Response Relief Program – including eligibility criteria, FAQs, and application instructions – can be found on the DCCED website.