NOAA AWARDS $3.3 MILLION TO LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES
FOR SHRIMPERS’ ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE PACKAGE

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded a grant totaling $8,688,866 to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to provide financial assistance to qualified shrimp fishermen who face economic hardship due to the influx of farm raised shrimp imports. NOAA is an agency of the Department of Commerce.

The grant will fund a three-year project to provide economic assistance to the shrimp industry in Louisiana. Direct financial assistance will go to qualified shrimp fishermen who land shrimp catch in the state. In addition, the funds will be used to develop and implement marketing and promotion programs for domestic shrimp. The Louisiana grant is part of a larger $35 million NOAA Fisheries economic assistance package to shrimp fishermen and the shrimp industry in eight states.

As of March 2003, NOAA has awarded more than 186 grants totaling $65 million to members of the academic, scientific and business communities to help the agency fulfill its mission to study the Earth’s natural systems in order to predict environmental change, manage ocean resources, protect life and property, and provide decision makers with reliable scientific information. NOAA goals and programs reflect a commitment to these basic responsibilities of science and service to the nation for 33 years.

The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources. To learn more about NOAA, please visit http://www.noaa.gov.