Background
On January 31, 2012, Governor Deval Patrick announced the start of the Commonwealth’s Commercial Fisheries Revolving Loan Fund (RLF). Through a federal grant opportunity, the Commonwealth partnered with the National Marine Fisheries Service to develop the RLF program to preserve fishing opportunities for small-scale fishermen struggling through the recent transition to catch share management in the Northeast multispecies (groundfish) fishery.
The new sector management system was adopted by the New England Fishery Management Council under Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies Groundfish Fisheries Management Plan (effective on May 1, 2010). Initially, NMFS developed a state permit bank concept to work with state partners on minimizing any potential adverse socio-economic impacts to fishing communities and small-scale fishing businesses that are sometimes attributed to catch-share programs. Maine has established the first state-sponsered permit bank.
MarineFisheries, having met with fishing and banking industry representatives, preferred to develop an alternative assistance approach. The RLF approach, in general, entails short-term loans that will allow marginalized sector members to maintain their participation in the lease market and move towards more sustainable participation and financial viability in the fishery.
Who is eligible?
To ensure loans are utilized by smaller groundfish operations in Massachusetts applicants must own and operate a groundfish vessel enrolled in a sector. All applicants must be residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and/or homeport their vessel in the Commonwealth. Owners of multiple vessels and trip boats are not eligible. Additionally applicants may not have any outstanding fishing sanctions or violations from the preceding three years.
What are the acceptable uses of a loan?
The RLF will provide annual loans to eligible sector fishermen for the lease of additional groundfish quota and/or groundfish DAS for use in the monkfish and skate fisheries.
How do I apply for a loan?
DMF is partnering with local lending institutions to administer loans. Contact an approved vendor based on your local homeport and/or county of residency for further information and a loan application:
Barnstable County
Community Development Partnership
3 Main Street Mercantile, Unit 7
Eastham, MA 02642
www.capecdp.org
Attention: Pam Andersen
Business & Credit Programs Manager
Tel: 508-240-7873 x18
Email: pam@capecdp.org
Bristol County
TBD
Dukes County
Community Development Partnership
3 Main Street Mercantile, Unit 7
Eastham, MA 02642
www.capecdp.org
Attention: Pam Andersen
Business & Credit Programs Manager
Tel: 508-240-7873 x18
Email: pam@capecdp.org
Essex County
TBD
Nantucket County
Community Development Partnership
3 Main Street Mercantile, Unit 7
Eastham, MA 02642
www.capecdp.org
Attention: Pam Andersen
Business & Credit Programs Manager
Tel: 508-240-7873 x18
Email: pam@capecdp.org
Plymouth County
TBD
Suffolk County
TBD
Press Releases
August 3, 2012 - Patrick-Murray Administration Launches Revolving Loan Fund for Massachusetts Fishermen 
January 31, 2012 - Patrick-Murray Administration Launching Loan Fund for Commercial Fishermen
DMF News Articles
DMF News 1st & 2nd Quarters 2011 - Page 8
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