Nov 14, 2008 3:20 pm US/Eastern
Red Tide Disaster Declared For New England
Declaration Clears Way For Federal Assistance For Local Shellfishermen
WASHINGTON (WBZ) ―
The red tide that kept fisherman out of local shellfishing beds for months this spring and summer has been declared an official disaster by the U.S. Commerce Department. That opens the way for local shellfishermen to receive
federal financial assistance.
Governor Deval Patrick requested the federal disaster aid in early September.
High levels of the toxic algae kept hundreds of acres of shellfish beds up and down the New England coast closed between April and July.
Friday the Commerce Department declared the incident a commercial fishery failure for the states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.
Senators Ted Kennedy and John Kerry were quick to thank Commerce Secretary Carlos Guitierrez for the action.
"This disaster declaration is a lifeline for thousands of our shellfishermen," Kerry said in a statement. "Communities up and down our coast have been walloped by the latest red tide contamination and will now be eligible for federal financial assistance."
A statement from Kennedy's office said the Senator was "delighted that Massachusetts shellfishermen will be receiving much-needed relief for the losses they suffered because of the massive red tide disaster earlier this year."
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