October 24, 2012 — A collaborative effort by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI), Coastal Enterprises Inc. (CEI), the Alex C. Walker Foundation, and the Northeast Cooperative Research Program (through the GEARNET project) is supporting an opportunity for groundfish fishermen to finance the purchase and installation of semi-pelagic trawl doors in combination with a fuel flow meter to reduce fuel costs and seabed impact.
Fishermen are also offered the opportunity to additionally purchase acoustic trawl monitoring equipment.
Interest rates are set at 5-6% APR (5% – Maine residents, 6% – non-Maine residents) fixed rate, with a 3-5 year term. Monthly payments will be equal to or less than the savings predicted by the lowered rate of fuel usage using the semi-pelagic doors (10% per annum), and advanced paydown is possible with no penalty. A one-time $2,000 rebate off the invoiced price of the gear and installation is available for a limited number of fishermen. Contact Steve Eayrs at (207) 228-1659 or email steve@gmri.org to discuss your semi-pelagic door and fuel flow meter requirements, identify suppliers, and determine approximate required loan amount. The deadline for application is October 31, so don't miss out on this unique opportunity!
Read the full announcement from NOAA