News Room

The California Salmon Council (CSC) has announced the availability of funding for California-licensed seafood processors, dealers and processing facilities to help defray the costs associated with responding to the impacts of COVID-19 on their businesses.  The funding is provided by a $511,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is part of a $50 million nationwide allocation under the Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety Block Grant Program (SPRS).

The CSC successfully secured California’s portion of the federal funds, and with assistance from seafood industry representatives and contractors, has developed the application process, which is available through December 31. To be eligible, seafood processors must have held a California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fish Business or Retailer’s license in 2020 or 2021.

The California-based seafood processor organizations assisting the effort include the California Fisheries & Seafood Institute, West Coast Seafood Processors, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Association, California Wet Fish Producers Association and the University of California Aquaculture Extension.

Funding is expected to particularly benefit seafood processors that may have been hit hardest by a variety of new business costs associated with the pandemic. Reimbursements will be made for expenses in six distinct categories, including workplace safety measures, market pivots such as transitioning to virtual and online sales, retrofitting of facilities, transportation, worker housing and employee medical costs.

To preview the grant application, see: https://calkingsalmon.org/wp-content/uploads/SPRS-Grant-Application-Print.pdf. For more information and instructions on the application process, visit the California Salmon Council website at www.calkingsalmon.org, or contact SPRSgrant@gmail.com.

Media Contact:
David Goldenberg, Executive Director, California Salmon Council, (916) 933-7050