NH Groundfishery Lands $2 Million in Assistance

The state of New Hampshire will receive more than $2 million in federal funds to help the state's commercial fishing industry in connection with the declared "Northeast Groundfish Disaster."

Gov. Maggie Hassan and the congressional delegation have worked for the federal assistance. Hassan underscored the importance of the funds being administered locally. The idea is that the state can best direct aid where it is needed most, while ensuring support for small and larger vessels in the fleet.

Hassan issued a statement on the news;

"The Northeast Groundfish Disaster has significantly affected New Hampshire’s treasured fishing industry, threatening our fishing infrastructure and causing economic harm across our state. I thank state fishery directors from across the region and our federal partners at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for their cooperation on this distribution agreement, and I hope that they continue to recognize that additional funds are needed to adequately address the unique needs of this critical New Hampshire industry."

As the governor put it in her letter to NOAA late last month, the federal assistance should be administered to the state of New Hampshire because local government, working with the affected industry, is best suited to identify the challenges and the needs.

New Hampshire's relatively small commercial fishery, like its counterparts in the Gulf of Maine, has struggled to accommodate business with tighter catch limits and allowable "days at sea."

"The right solution for New Hampshire may not be the right solution for our neighbors," Hassan wrote.