Shell Oil backs grant program to aid commercial fishermen

Shell Oil Company recently committed $250,000 to fund a pilot project to help Louisiana’s commercial fisherman recover from the impacts of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The “Back to the Dock” grants are $5,000 each, and are intended to help fisherman get their equipment back to working condition.

“Basically, we’re looking at repairs, replacement or repair of equipment and to some extent, working capital,” said Jo-Anna Jones, of South Central Planning and Development Commission (SCPDC).

Shell, the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board and the Louisiana Association of Planning and Development Districts (LAPDD) developed the grant program. It will be administered by the Regional Planning Districts, which serve Louisiana’s coastal parishes.

Jones said that application forms can be obtained online at the LAPDD Web site (www.lapdd.org) and the SCPDC Web site (www.scpdc.org). Hard copies of the form can be found at planning district offices.

Offices for Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes are located in Gray at 5058 West Main St., and 601 Loire Ave., Suite C (St. Mary Parish).

Jones said the initial response has been positive. “The fisherman certainly need a tremendous amount of help,” she said. “We have had an overwhelming response.”

She added that applications are currently being reviewed. “The grant funds will start to flow to the people who are awarded grants, probably in the middle of February,” explained Jones. “We’re in the process of reviewing applications right now.”