To all Virginia Seafood Processors, At-Sea Processors, and Seafood Dealers

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recently approved approximately $50 million in funds to seafood processors, processing vessels, and dealers in 25 coastal states and territories to defray expenses accrued addressing safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Virginia Marine Resources Commission has been selected to be the state agency to oversee the applications and distributions of funds to those businesses located in Virginia. All those that meet the definition of Processor, At-sea Processor, or Dealer as described below, and have expenses in any of the six defined activities (see below) are encouraged to apply. Smaller processors and vessels, socially disadvantaged processors, veteran processors, and/or underserved communities are also encouraged to apply.

As part of the process, VMRC must prepare a grant proposal to the USDA for review and approval. To improve the grant proposal and expedite the granting processing, the agency is asking the industry to complete an online survey to get a better understanding of the expenses accrued and the potential number of applicants. Rough estimates of your expenses in each of the six approved activities are acceptable at this time; details on verification documentation will be outlined during the application process. The survey is available at:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LKS598H

The deadline for the agency to submit the grant proposal is quickly approaching so please submit your responses to the survey by Wednesday, November 17th. The agency will use the survey information to improve the content of the grant proposal and to provide the USDA rough expense estimates and the potential number of applicants. State-wide grant approval is expected by the end of 2021, and an application process will follow (anticipated in Spring 2022). In the meantime, begin gathering your expense records related to the approved activities listed below.

Who’s Eligible: Seafood Processors, At-Sea Processors and Dealers to help defray expenses preparing for, preventing exposure to, and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic between January 27, 2020 and December 31, 2021.

Processor means the owner, operator, dealer, or agent responsible for any activity that changes the physical condition of a fisheries resource suitable for human consumption, retail sale, industrial uses, or long-term storage, including cooking, canning, smoking, salting, drying, shucking, filleting, freezing, or rendering into meat or oil. An owner, operator, dealer or agent exclusively gutting, gilling, heading, or icing seafood without performing any of the above activities is not qualified.

At-sea Processor means a vessel or platform that floats and can be moved from one location to another, whether in State waters or waters of the EEZ, receiving fish and operating as a processor.

Dealer means an entity that first receives fish by way of purchase and sells directly to restaurants, markets, other dealers, processors, or consumers without substantial altering the product.

Approved Activities

Workplace Safety Measures: Including but is not limited to: personal protective equipment, sanitizer, hand washing stations, air filters, thermometers, cleaning supplies, or similar items.

Market Pivots: Including but is not limited to: transition to virtual/online sales costs (online platform development and fees, online marketing, credit card processing fees), supplies, new signage and advertising.

Retrofitting Facilities: Including but is not limited to: altering facilities for worker and consumer safety (plexiglass, walk up windows, heat lamps, fans, tents, propane, weights, tables, chairs, etc).

Transportation: Including but is not limited to: additional transportation costs incurred to maintain social distancing.

Worker Housing: Including but is not limited to: Additional worker housing costs incurred to maintain social distancing or to allow for quarantining of new or exposed employees.

Medical: Including but is not limited to: Unreimbursed costs associated with providing or enabling vaccinations, testing, or healthcare treatment of infected employees, including any paid leave.