Reminder: Vineyard Wind 1 Fishermen Compensation Eligibility- Two Weeks Left to Apply
On March 4, 2024, Vineyard Wind announced the opening of their Eligibility Period for direct compensation associated with the Vineyard Wind 1 lease area for federally or state permitted MA commercial fishing vessels that fished in the wind lease area anytime between 2016-2022. The eligibility application deadline is June 3, 2024. All commercial fishermen that have fished within the baseline period (2016-2022) in the Vineyard Wind 1 lease area are encouraged to start the application by June 3, 2024, even if applicants are waiting for federal NOAA fisheries data (e.g. VMS, VTR, Observer At-Sea Monitoring Information, etc.) from NMFS and NOAA OLE. An independent third-party administrator will be reviewing and processing eligibility and direct compensation claims. Eligibility will be determined by the third-party administrator in collaboration with expert Fishery Advisors representing fixed and mobile gear fisheries.
Information required for determining eligibility includes but is not limited to proof of vessel ownership, valid 2023 commercial fishing permit with NOAA fisheries or MA state permit, documented fishing activities within the Wind Lease Area (WLA) in at least three of seven years from 2016-2022 (Vessel Trip Reports, Vessel Monitoring Systems, Automatic Identification System information, NOAA Cooperative Research Study Fleet information, logbooks, chart plotter data or other trip-level reporting information that establishes fishing activity in the lease area), and documented annual revenue for the corresponding three or more years reported (IRS forms 1099, sales receipts, dealer slips or dealer compilation reports). Figures of the WLA area below.
|
In order to receive any compensation, applicants must submit the eligibility application by June 3, 2024. The eligibility period is the only time that commercial fishing vessel owner/operator applications will be eligible for Vineyard Wind 1 compensation.
Where to apply: Apply for the direct compensation eligibility application at www.vw1fisheriescomp.com.
|
|
 |
For assistance with filing the eligibility and direct compensation claims, please contact the VW fisheries liaisons: Crista Bank (cbank@vineyardwind.com; Ph: 508-525-0421) and Travis Lowery (tlowery@vineyardwind.com; Ph: 508-728-4529).
If you need to contact NMFS for data requests pertaining to eligibility and compensation of programs above, see the contact list below:
Contacts for data requests:
General guidance for requests:
- Specify if data are needed by a certain date
- Include all the fundamental details:
- Contact information for the person requesting the data
- Permit number and vessel name for data requested
- What data you need (e.g., logbook landings, fishing revenue, permit issuance)
- Date range for the data (e.g., fishing or calendar years 2016-2022)
- Area the data applies (e.g., logbook data when fishing in the Vineyard Wind 1 lease area)
- Ensure you have access to historical data from previous owners
- Submit or reference existing written proof that a previous vessel/permit owner has given you permission to access their historic fishing data
- Make sure permissions include all years of your data request
- Identify expected data output (e.g., spreadsheet or map)
|
