NOAA Allocates Fishery Disaster Funding to Florida, California, and Makah Tribe

23 October 2026
Edited By: Haley McQueen

Fishery resource disaster funding will address multiple disasters and support local coastal economies, including the fishery for California sea urchins, like the one pictured. NOAA announced the allocation of $15.8 million in fishery resource disaster funding, appropriated by Congress in the American Relief Act, 2025. The funding will address multiple fishery resource disasters that occurred in Florida, California, and for the Makah Tribe in Washington State between 2019 and 2024.

“The US seafood industry plays a critical role in our coastal economy,” said NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs, Ph.D. “Our fishermen depend on each catch to sustain their livelihoods, yet fishery disasters can have devastating impacts on the businesses and communities that rely on these resources. NOAA is committed to supporting and uplifting our coastal businesses and communities through such challenges so they can continue to thrive.”

The $15.8 million allocation announcement applies to previously declared fishery resource disasters, including:

Florida Hurricane Ian 2022
The Makah Tribe ocean treaty troll fishery, 2020 and 2021
The Makah Tribe Fraser sockeye salmon fisheries, 2023, 2021, 2020, 2019
The California red sea urchin fishery, 2023/2024

NOAA Fisheries used commercial revenue loss information to allocate funding across the eligible disasters.

“Coastal communities depend on these fisheries and fishermen to support their local economies,” said Eugenio Piñeiro Soler, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “These fishery disaster funding allocations are a tangible way to assist these communities in mitigating impacts and restoring fisheries.”

These funds will help improve the long-term economic and environmental sustainability of the impacted fisheries. Funds can be used to assist commercial fishermen, recreational fishermen, for-hire businesses, shore-side infrastructure, subsistence users, and the marine environment. Activities that can be considered for funding include direct assistance, fishery-related infrastructure projects, habitat restoration, state-run vessel and fishing permit buybacks, job retraining, and more.

Eligible businesses and other tribal entities may be able to access other loan/funding programs through Federal relief programs such as the US Small Business Administration (SBA). SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses with financial losses directly related to the declared disaster. EIDLs are available for working capital needs and may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster. For more information on the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, visit: sba.gov/disaster

In the next steps, NOAA Fisheries will issue a non-competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity letter to fishery disaster recipients who will have 120 days to submit an application to NOAA Fisheries.