November 13, 2012 — The Christie administration on Tuesday requested a federal disaster declaration for New Jersey's fishing industry, which sustained significant revenue losses and damages to its fleet and infrastructure as a result of Hurricane Sandy.
Gov. Chris Christie made the request for a declaration of a federal fisheries resources disaster to Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank.
"New Jersey's commercial and recreational fishing industries are essential to our coastal economy, generating some $2.7 billion in combined economic activity," Christie said. "The storm resulted in significant losses for the industry, damaging or destroying vessels, ports, facilities and equipment.
"It also left coastal areas that the industry needs severely damaged or inaccessible," he continued. "This declaration will help the fishing industry obtain immediate disaster relief assistance and help it cope during this time of great economic loss and hardship."
Christie has seen many of these storm-damaged facilities during his post-storm tours of the coast, including warehouses, vessels, offices, aquaculture facilities and equipment.
"The fishing industry has been hard hit and needs our help," said Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin. "This federal disaster declaration will be the first step in the road to recovery for these industries that are so important to the identity and economy of the shore."
A federal fishery disaster declaration would trigger a federal economic transition program to provide immediate disaster relief for impacted aspects of the industry, including commercial fishing operations, charter fishing operators, processors and owners of related fishery infrastructure affected by the disaster.
Read the full story at the South Jersey Times