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Courtesy of NAA:

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Commerce are authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide COVID-19 economic assistance to aquaculture. To clarify which of the two programs aquaculture farms may apply for assistance, USDA has prepared the following answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs).

What aquaculture species are eligible for coverage under CFAP?
USDA worked with the Department of Commerce to provide non-redundant coverage for the aquaculture industry from the CARES Act.  Commerce will cover Privately owned aquaculture businesses growing products in state or federal marine waters of the United States and the hatcheries that supply them under CARES Act Section 12005, This includes all molluscan shellfish and marine algae. Non-salmonid marine finfish grown in marine waters not covered by USDA are eligible for Sec. 12005 funding.

USDA will consider information submitted by aquaculture producers in the NOFA for privately-owned aquaculture businesses that propagate eligible (see question below) freshwater and saltwater products in controlled environments (including raceways, ponds, tanks, and recirculating systems). Farmed shrimp and all salmonids (trout and salmon) are included.

What are the eligibility requirements for covered aquaculture species?
USDA must determine that individual types of aquaculture products (meeting the criteria in the question above) which have incurred a requisite decline in price as outlined in the Notice of Funding Availability. Information to submit in that NOFA might include:

1. For live aquaculture that you produced, had vested ownership in, and had in inventory at some point between January 15, 2020, and April 15, 2020, what was:
   1. The average price you received per product the week of January 13 through January 17, 2020, (or if not available, nearest date to this);
   2. The average price you received per aquaculture product you sold the week of April 6 through April 10, 2020, (or if not available, nearest date to this);
   3. The number of aquaculture products you sold between January 15, 2020, and April 15, 2020.
2. The number and the contracted price of aquaculture products you produced that left your farm by April 15, 2020, and subsequently spoiled due to no market, and for which you did not have Federal crop insurance or obtained NAP to cover the loss.
3. The inventory of aquaculture products as April 15, 2020, that will not be sold due to lack of markets.

Are all salmonids farmers eligible for coverage under CFAP, regardless of production system?
Upon submission to the NOFA, USDA will consider farmed salmonids grown for commercial market for eligibility under CFAP.  As stated in the NOFA “Farmed shrimp and salmonids (trout and salmon) will be included in CFAP to the extent USDA determines individual types of these products have incurred a requisite decline in price.”  This includes salmonids grown in a controlled environment such as net pens in marine waters.

Are producers of farmed crustaceans eligible for coverage under CFAP?
Upon submission to the NOFA, USDA will consider farmed crustaceans, including shrimp and crawfish, grown for commercial market for eligibility under CFAP.  As stated in the NOFA “Farmed shrimp and salmonids (trout and salmon) will be included in CFAP to the extent USDA determines individual types of these products have incurred a requisite decline in price.”  This includes farmed crustaceans grown in a controlled environment.

Are producers of marine finfish grown in land-based systems eligible for coverage under CFAP?
Upon submission to the NOFA, USDA will consider marine finfish grown for commercial market in land-based systems for eligibility under CFAP as the NOFA states “privately-owned aquaculture business that propagate freshwater and saltwater products in controlled environments (including raceways, ponds, tanks, and recirculating systems)”.

Are producers of freshwater finfish eligible for coverage under CFAP?
Upon submission to the NOFA, USDA will consider freshwater finfish for eligibility under CFAP as the NOFA states “privately-owned aquaculture business that propagate freshwater and saltwater products in controlled environments (including raceways, ponds, tanks, and recirculating systems).”

Are molluscan shellfish farmers eligible for coverage under CFAP?
No, molluscan shellfish are eligible for coverage under the Department of Commerce’s per CARES Act Section 12005.

Are seaweed producers eligible for coverage under CFAP?
No, marine algae producers are eligible for coverage under the Department of Commerce’s per CARES Act Section 12005.

Are aquaculture producers who harvest via fee-fishing on their farms eligible for coverage under CFAP?
Only those finfish producers who have ownership risk in the production of the finfish grown for a commercial market for food sales will be eligible for CFAP.   The finfish must be propagated in and harvested for sale from the controlled environment.