23-28-CWS | August 8, 2023
BILOXI, Miss. – The 2019 Mississippi Bonnet Carré Spillway Fisheries Disaster Recovery Program financial assistance applications for commercial fisheries and charter boat participants will open Wednesday, August 9, 2023, at 8 a.m. on the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) website at dmr.ms.gov/2019bcrelief/.
Applicants must be a Mississippi resident 18 years or older and have possessed a valid Mississippi resident commercial fishing or dealer 2019 calendar year license with MDMR documented landings, verified by MDMR through trip tickets during the following five historical license years (May 1-April 30) 2014-2018. To qualify as a dealer, applicants must have been in possession of an active dealer license in 2019, have purchased seafood from an active Mississippi commercial fisherman between 2014 and 2018 and records of these transactions must be present in the MDMR trip ticket database. Eligible Mississippi resident charter boat captains must be 18 years or older and possessed a valid Mississippi resident charter boat license for the 2019 calendar year and at least one of the previous five years (2014-2018).
If applying as a business, it must be domiciled in Mississippi and registered with the Mississippi Office of the Secretary of State. Participants must not be debarred, not on the government “do not pay list” and in good standing with the federal and state government.
Applications will be open for 30 days and will close Thursday, September 7, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. No late applications will be considered and there will be no appeals if the deadline is missed. Funding allocation has been structured so that only applications submitted by the deadline will be considered. Payout will be based on all individual fishermen values across all fisheries and funds distributed proportionally based on overall value of all fisheries and participation in all fisheries as determined by the MDMR, without the need for any supplemental documentation from applicants.
The following information will be needed for the application process: contact information, valid email address, all applicable 2019 calendar year fishing license numbers, date of birth and social security number or employer ID tax number. A W-9 form, incorporated into the application, will also be required for payment, and retained by MDMR.
For assistance submitting an application, contact the MDMR at 228-374-5000. For questions regarding the status of an application or payment, or if an email with completed individual application information is not received, contact Traci Floyd at 228-523-4068 or 2019bcrelief@dmr.ms.gov.
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is dedicated to enhancing, protecting and conserving marine interests of the state by managing all marine life, public trust wetlands, adjacent uplands and waterfront areas to provide for the optimal commercial, recreational, educational and economic uses of these resources consistent with environmental concerns and social changes. Visit the DMR online at dmr.ms.gov.
