FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 27, 2014
CONTACT: Governor's Press Office, 850.717.9282, media@eog.myflorida.com
GOV. SCOTT ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $6 MILLION AWARD TO ASSIST APALACHICOLA BAY OYSTER FISHERY
TALLAHASSEE – Today,
Governor Rick Scott announced that the Florida Department of Economic
Opportunity (DEO) will receive a more than $6 million federal grant from the
National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA) to assist with the recovery of
the Apalachicola Bay oyster fishery. In 2012, Governor Scott requested the U.S.
Secretary of Commerce to declare a commercial fishery failure for Florida’s
oyster harvesting areas in the Gulf of Mexico and in August 2013, a fishery
resource disaster was declared. With it, more than $6 million in funding will
be made available to the state to assist in the restoration of the oyster
fishery.
Governor
Scott said, “This funding is great news for families in the Apalachicola area
and to those affected by the oyster fishery disaster. This support will help
put Florida families in this region back to work.”
This funding
will assist communities affected by the commercial fishery failure with the
restoration of oyster habitat, monitoring of existing oyster resources and of
restoration efforts, vocational and educational training for affected
fishermen and processor facilities upgrades. The services and activities
funded by this grant will be a collaborative effort of DEO, the Florida
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. DEO
will also work with CareerSource Gulf Coast on the hand shelling and vocational
training components of the grant.
DEO Executive
Director Jesse Panuccio said, “We are pleased to continue our economic and
environmental restoration efforts in the Apalachicola Bay area. This funding
will be a vital resource to the community as we work together to restore the
oyster fisheries and ensure a well-rounded workforce. DEO looks forward to
partnering with other state agencies and CareerSource Gulf Coast to administer
these funds to the greatest benefit of the community.”
The more than $6 million grant will be used for the following:
-
Oyster Habitat Restoration, $4.5 million - The shelling of wild oyster
reefs will be conducted by fisherman in shallow areas and by barge in deeper
water areas. Adding shell to an existing oyster reef is a typical habitat
improvement technique.
-
Monitoring
of the Wild Apalachicola Bay Oyster Population, $415,000 - The
oyster population will be monitored to help evaluate the success of shelling
programs, and so that the fishery can be adaptively managed as the oyster
population recovers.
-
Vocational and Educational Training for Apalachicola Bay Oyster
Industry Workers, $538,000 - Vocational and educational training will be conducted
so that those in the oyster industry can have a greater diversity of job
opportunities.
-
Apalachicola Bay Processor Facilities Upgrades, $769,500 - In order for
the oyster industry to remain viable, sanitation upgrades in the processing
facilities are needed.
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