CT CARES Act Assistance to Fisheries Participants (CAAFP)

Connecticut Has Received a Second Round of CAAFP Aid

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed into law on March 27, 2020 authorized the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to provide $300 million of economic assistance to marine fishery participants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic via the CARES Act Assistance to Fishery Participants (CAAFP) aid program. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DOAG) developed a “spend plan” for the $1.8 million in CAAFP aid funds allocated to Connecticut and worked with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to distribute the aid funds in December 2020.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed into law on December 27, 2020, authorized the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to provide an additional $255 million of economic assistance to marine fishery participants via aid programs previously authorized by the CARES Act, essentially providing a “second round” of CAAFP aid. During 2021, DEEP and DOAG collaborated on spend plan development for the $3 million in second round CAAFP aid funds allocated to Connecticut and then worked with ASMFC to distribute those funds in 2022.

Currently, all available CAAFP aid funds have been distributed to qualified aid recipients. If additional CAAFP aid funds become available, DEEP and DOAG will provide notice to marine fishery participants.

For questions related to CAAFP aid to the commercial fishing, for-hire fishing, or seafood dealing/wholesaling/processing sectors, please contact the DEEP Marine Fisheries Program by email at deep.marine.fisheries@ct.gov or call DEEP Marine Fisheries at 860-434-6043 and leave a voicemail.

For questions related to CAAFP aid to the aquaculture sector, please contact David Carey (Director, DOAG Bureau of Aquaculture) by email at david.carey@ct.gov.

Content last updated on September 8, 2022.