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The current quarantine has dealt a heavy blow to Rhode Island's fishermen. Please support RI's seafood industry during the COVID-19 crisis by buying local seafood at your retailer! Our staff here at CFCRI is working with the RI Department of Environmental Management to help our fishermen connect with area buyers -- everyone from private chefs, to families, and restaurants. Help keep a vital part of our economy – our commercial fishing and seafood industry – up and running, while enjoying direct and safe access to fantastic fresh local seafood. Other Resources:
GET INVOLVED #FISHERMENRIWhen times get tough, Rhode Islanders band together. Share this campaign on your social media channels ASAP to help our local fishermen and keep fresh seafood available for all of us. What can you do?? 1. Change your cover image to one of the images here. 2. Use the instructions in the folder provided to copy/paste the message on all of your channels. 3. Make sure to download graphics so we are unified. Thank you so much in advance for supporting our amazing fishing community!!  Click the image to download campaign materials. Please note: During this public health emergency, it is essential that you adopt and implement all public-health safety protocols to protect the health of your employees and customers.
According to the USDA and FDA there is no current evidence of food or food packaging being associated with transmission of COVID-19. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. This includes between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet), and through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. However, it’s always critical to follow the 4 key steps of food safety—clean, separate, cook, and chill – to prevent food-borne illness. To ensure you have the latest information about COVID-19 Coronavirus, please consult the RIDOH corona virus webpage. Please also view guidance from the FDA Food Safety and Coronavirus 2019 website and industry-specific guidance for owners and operators. WITH CASES OF THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) CONTINUING TO INCREASE RAPIDLY ACROSS R.I. AND NATIONWIDE, THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY IS PARAMOUNT. IN RESPONSE, WE ARE INVOLVED WITH THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE AND R.I. DEM TO ASSIST THOSE IN THE FISHING COMMUNITY WITH HEALTHCARE COVERAGE ACCESSIBILITY, IF POSSIBLE! CONTACT US IF ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED, WE WILL HELP YOU NAVIGATE THROUGH THE PROCESS. WE ARE ALSO DISCUSSING WITH R.I. FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS REQUESTING A 3 MONTH DEFERRAL ON MORTGAGES, LINES OF CREDIT AND OR OTHER BUSINESS DEBT AT THE ONSET OF THIS CRISIS. THE STATE HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES OF 2 MILLION DOLLARS, INFORMATION PROVIDED BELOW.
Yesterday the U.S. Small Business Administration approved Governor Raimondo's application for assistance and will offer low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital up to $2 million to Rhode Island small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information, and download applications at: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. If a paper forms are preferred, they can be accessed here. If your business has questions regarding SBA loans and access to capital, please call RI Commerce's Small Business Hotline at (401) 521-HELP or e-mail info@commerceri.com. Thank you to all who have participated in our health care survey. If you have not completed the survey and interested in providing this information, please reach out and we will send you a survey to complete. This information is necessary to develop a future health care program for the commercial fishing community. For anyone who is uninsured, they are eligible for coverage through April 15 at: https://healthsourceri.com/coverage-through-healthsource-ri/ For anyone who has lost insurance, this fact sheet has information they need. PLEASE STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY AND CONTACT US FOR ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. FRED MATTERA 401 741-4178 cell 401 874-4568 office Fredmattera66@gmail.com fredmattera@cfcri.org Shaye Rooney 401 316-0081 shayerooney@cfcri.org Members of Southern New England’s commercial fishing industry are teaming up this winter to organize a series of Climate & Energy Learning Circles to help our industry become a more informed and coordinated advocacy force on these issues.
The second learning circle, “What’s Driving Regional Energy Policy?,” will be held on Monday, March 16 from 3:00-6:00 PM in the conference room above Superior Trawl (55 State Street, Narragansett, 02882). All members of Southern New England’s commercial fishing industry are invited to participate. This event will begin with an industry-only discussion for participants to strategize about how fishermen can be most effective at advocating for our industry and oceans during this time of change. Then, we’ll host two speakers who will talk about the latest energy transition trends in the region as well as the climate science that’s driving these trends. Our speakers for this event include Ken Payne, whose extensive background includes formerly serving as the Senior Policy Advisor for the Rhode Island Senate, a research faculty member at URI, and Director of Rhode Island’s Office of Energy Resources; and Sue AnderBois, who recently served as Governor Raimondo’s Director of Food Strategy and as a member of the RI Food Policy Council. About the Climate and Energy Learning Circles Climate change and energy issues have become a prominent part of the public discourse in the last few years, a trend that will only increase in the years ahead. The focus on climate change and energy has critical repercussions for fishermen’s lives, perhaps more so than for any other established economic sector in the region. The goal of the Climate and Energy Learning Circles is to equip fishermen with the knowledge and tools needed to be able to shape the discourse and policies around climate change and energy. Participants will:
With the knowledge and perspectives gained through these discussions, fishermen will be able to work together to craft a new narrative to support a pro-seafood climate action agenda for Southern New England. The series is sponsored by the Commercial Fisheries Center of RI (www.cfcri.org) with support from Fishing Partnership Support Services (www.fishingpartnership.org). Contact Sarah Schumann (schumannsarah@gmail.com) or Mike Roles (mtroles@gmail.com) for more information.
Rhode Island fishermen have waited seven weeks for Vineyard Wind to put forward a proposal to compensate them for blocking access to valuable fishing grounds in the ocean waters where the New Bedford company wants to install 84 giant wind turbines. NARRAGANSETT — Rhode Island fishermen have waited seven weeks for Vineyard Wind to put forward a proposal to compensate them for blocking access to valuable fishing grounds in the ocean waters where the New Bedford company wants to install 84 giant wind turbines. They’ll have to wait a little longer. Even though CEO Lars Pedersen said that his company had an offer ready, he would not release it at a public meeting of the state’s Fishermen’s Advisory Board Tuesday night. Instead, to the consternation of the many representatives of the fishing industry who came out for the very purpose of learning what Vineyard Wind is willing to pay to mitigate the impact of the offshore wind farm, Pedersen agreed to submit the offer in writing to the fishermen’s board and state Coastal Resources Management Council staff on Wednesday, after which it will be released to the public. Vineyard Wind - click to download
Article - Eco RI News: Fishermen Frustrated by Vineyard Wind Project
Projo: Vineyard Wind loses backing of a fishing board, decision may have serious consequences for proposed offshore wind farm
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