July 12, 2021 — Peconic Bay was one of four fisheries to be declared a fishery disaster following the “near-unprecedented” Peconic Bay scallop die-off of 2019 and subsequent problems in 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced on June 29.
The determination makes the fisheries eligible for disaster assistance from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They may also qualify for disaster assistance from the Small Business Administration, according to the Department of Commerce. The department has balances remaining from previously appropriated fishery disaster assistance and will determine the appropriate allocation for Peconic Bay as well as the other locations in Washington and Alaska, a press release noted.
“Fisheries are essential to our communities and economy and we want to ensure America is in a position to remain competitive on the global stage,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a statement. “These determinations allow us to lend a helping hand to the fishing families and communities that have experienced very real and difficult setbacks in the last few years.”
Gov. Andrew Cuomo sent a letter to former Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross in December 2019 calling for federal action to help New York’s scallop fishery following the Peconic Bay die-off.