COVID-19 Funding Details

Provide aid to to USVI fishing industry sectors

Grant Award No. NA21NMF4540004 (CARES ACT) Project No. is V8001. The U.S. Department of Commerce/NOAA grant award, NA21INMF450004 in the amount of $993,005.00, was funded in December 2020. DPNR/DFW will be providing $900,000 in direct assistance to participants of the fishing industry. This will be accomplished with the timeframe stipulated by the period of performance. Before the funds could be disbursed, the spending plan was created and approved by each district Fishery Advisory Committee (FAC) (St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix). The St. Thomas/St. John FAC met Thursday, April 8, 2021, from 6:30pm – 9:30pm where the Director of Fish and Wildlife presented the spending plan for the FAC review and approval. The St. Croix FAC met April 14, 2021, from 6:30pm – 9:30pm to review and approve the spending plan. The plans were reviewed and approved by the FAC and submitted to NOAA for approval. NOAA approved the Fisheries Assistance Plan on Monday, June 7, 2021. The performance period was extended until August 2022 per communications with NOAA. Both CARES Act monies will be distributed through a partnership with the Economic Development Authority via Memorandum of Agreement G039PNRT22 approved on April 27, 2022. The Economic Development Authority has launched the campaign in the marketing and administration of this project. Direct Assistance was the main goal of the original project. Only 37 applications received after over 800 unique ad types and in-person pop-ups and events, including announcements at the annual fisher registration events reaching 200+ fishers representing more than 85% of all fishers in the USVI. Fishers have stated that due to an increase of more than $4 - $6 per pound of fish during the pandemic and their status as essential workers, the fishers did not lose money as anticipated at the time of application. Fishing charters also did well, as our tourism economy boomed based on increased testing and availability of the vaccinations. Tourism to other Caribbean jurisdictions was shut so persons diverted their fishing vacations to the USVI. As a result, to date, DPNR has requested a No-Cost Time Extension (NCTE) seeking another avenue in which to spend the COVID-19 funds. The NCTE is based on each of the 37 applications having none or incomplete documentation of demonstrated losses of 35%. The EDA was able to provide qualified applicants with a total of $80, 041.78 in direct assistance relief funding. The balance of $819, 386.58 was returned to the grant. The grant award was amended to expire 08/31/2023 and to purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for fishers. A Bid Procedure was processed and encumbered in the amount of $735,869.20. The Department of Property and Procurement awarded the Bid, Bid# BD-23-800-8001-224 (S), to Prestige Worldwide USVI, Inc. dba Neptune Fishing Supplies for the Purchase and Delivery of Marine Safety Equipments Kits in the amount of $499,965, a balance difference of $235,904.20 of the encumbrance. The Vendor has been paid and grant is closed with the ending balance of $351,334.23. Note that there is a slight adjustment to the total expenditures leaving a ending balance of $351,319.48.

DPNR/DFW

October 1, 2020

August 31, 2023

$0.99M

$641.69K

$351.32K

Provide aid to to USVI fishing industry sectors

Grant Award No. NA21NMF4540558 (CARES Act) Project No. is V8002.                       The U.S. Department of Commerce/NOAA grant award, NA21NMF450558 in the amount of $2,967,030.00, was approved in September 2021.  DPNR/DFW sought to provide $2,693,759.00 in direct assistance to participants of the fishing industry.   Both CARES Act monies were intended to be distributed through a partnership with the Economic Development Authority via Memorandum of Agreement G039PNRT22 approved on April 27, 2022.   The Economic Development Authority launched a campaign to solicit applications. Only 37 applications received after over 800 unique ad types and in-person pop-ups and events, including announcements at the annual fisher registration events reaching 200+ fishers representing more than 85% of all fishers in the USVI. Fishers have stated that due to an increase of more than $4 - $6 per pound of fish during the pandemic and their status as essential workers, the fishers did not lose money as anticipated at the time of application. Fishing charters also did well, as our tourism economy boomed based on increased testing and availability of the vaccinations. Tourism to other Caribbean jurisdictions was shut so persons diverted their fishing vacations to the USVI.  As a result, DPNR requested a No-Cost Time Extension (NCTE) seeking another avenue in which to spend the COVID-19 funds.  The No-Cost extension was approved to support the renovation of the Frederiksted Fish Market.   DPNR encumbered funding in the amount of $185,275 for the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with VIPA to create a bid-design package for the Frederiksted Fish Market which was received in July 2024.  However, the bid-design solicitation would take longer than two months to advertise, select, and constract, so the construction encumbrance PO # 9276 in the amount of $ 2,494,855.50 was cancelled. It is unfortunate, time did not permit  for the completion of the expansion  project under this grant.  A no-cost time extension was not allowed.  The grant closed as of 08/31/2024.    There is a 90 day liquidation period for any remaining expenses to be paid from the Award. $33,409.85 was pending to be expended during the 90 day period but was not liquidated.

DPNR/DFW

September 1, 2021

August 31, 2024

$2.97M

$440.86K

$2.53M