WASHINGTON, D.C. – Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) today announced that the final spending package for the session – the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act – contains $75 million for fishery disaster assistance. This funding will support yesterday’s disaster declaration for the Chesapeake Bay blue crab by Department of Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez.

“In May, I stood with Maryland’s watermen and promised to stand up for them as they face a potential disaster to their way of life. My promises made are promises kept. This is about lives and livelihoods in a struggling economy,” said Senator Mikulski. “This week’s announcements – the disaster declaration and the funding to back it up – is great news for Maryland. But we are not done. I will continue to work with Secretary Gutierrez to make sure that Maryland’s watermen get their fair share. It’s time to put the government back on the side of the people.”

Yesterday’s declaration will make Maryland’s watermen eligible for emergency disaster funding to ease the economic burden placed on the crabbing industry as it faces a 34 percent reduction in the female crab harvest. For more information on Team Maryland’s response, go to: http://mikulski.senate.gov/Newsroom/PressReleases/record.cfm?id=303419.

Preliminary economic impacts on watermen, harvesters and the processing industry are estimated at $20 million for Maryland and Virginia over the next three years. Funds would be used to provide alternative economic opportunities for watermen and the processing industry, while state regulators work with the industry to rebuild stocks and restructure the fishery. The industry will also become eligible for additional federal help through Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants, Small Business Administration (SBA) and Farm Credit System loans and Department of Labor worker training programs.

The bill is expected to receive a vote in the House of Representatives today. It will then go to the Senate for a vote before the end of the week. After it is signed into law, the Department of Commerce will determine the allocation of money to the states where disasters have been declared. Once allocated, Governors of impacted states will work with the Department of Commerce on plans to assistance affected individuals.