Nyle Taylor: This weekend’s extreme low tides exposed ground that does not often go dry. Prior to planting geoduck, this bed was bare sand. The addition of the mesh tubes provided structure for the kelp forest that is to the north of the farm to expand covering nearly a half-acre of our mesh tubes. Kelp provides many ecosystem services, from carbon sequestration to habitat for a variety of native Puget Sound species.
Jeremy Esposito: Although stock checks of scallop broodstock lead to reports of mortality, we tend to get a kick out of the new residents. Pictured here is a purple-hinged rock scallop repurposed. Looks to me like a sculpin (?), nesting below Manchester’s NMFS Sablefish pens.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
On Friday, May 15, 2020 the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) released the PPP loan forgiveness application form, which is available here. This form would be used by PPP borrowers following the end of the 8-week loan period to seek forgiveness on some or all of the loan. Additional regulations and guidance will be forthcoming from SBA.
For more resources from the SBA, visit their website:
https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources
Sergio Guevara: The picture shows the happy coexistence of the oyster growing gear with Eelgrass (Zostera marina) bed. Eelgrass is the nursery ground for many aquatic species. Eelgrass gets the benefit of the oyster excrete that act as a fertilizer for the plant.
The SBA will resume accepting Paycheck Protection Program applications from participating lenders on Monday, April 27, 2020 at 10:30am EDT.
The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.
SBA will forgive loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities.
You can apply through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans once they are approved and enrolled in the program. You should consult with your local lender as to whether it is participating in the program.
By Sam Hill, Seafood Source
April 21, 2020
Danielle Blacklock took over as director of NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Aquaculture in mid-March, just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to come to a head in the United States. Over the past decade, Blacklock has served in multiple positions at NOAA, most recently as a senior policy advisor for aquaculture. In that role, Blacklock completed a six-month assignment at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, focused on aquaculture sustainability globally. She also served as the acting deputy in the office for several months.
Blacklock is charged with overseeing the aquaculture component of NOAA’s sustainable seafood portfolio and providing the strategic vision for developing a stronger aquaculture industry in the United States. Nearly a month into her appointment, SeafoodSource connected with Blacklock to discuss her goals as director, the office’s response to COVID-19 complications and what the future of U.S. aquaculture looks like.
SeafoodSource: Is NOAA still prioritizing domestic aquaculture? What are some short- and long-term goals for the office?
Blacklock: Yes, increasing domestic marine aquaculture remains a priority for the Department of Commerce and NOAA. We are currently working in our organization, across the federal government, and with partners to support cutting-edge research and federal policy to expand the social, economic, and environmental benefits of marine aquaculture.
Short-term goals for the office include supporting the existing U.S. aquaculture industry through the challenges and impacts of COVID-19. NOAA recently stood up a team of experts from across the agency to collect and analyze COVID-19-related impacts on the U.S. commercial seafood industry, including wild harvest and aquaculture. We are focused on working with our stakeholders to provide guidance and assistance during this difficult time.
Longer-term, the office will continue to support technology development and transfer, a more efficient permitting process, and working to dispel misperceptions of sustainable aquaculture.
Read the full article HERE