Long Island Sound lobster fishery disaster relief

The fishery was declared a federal fishery disaster in January 2000 by the Secretary of Commerce, and Congress appropriated funds for disaster compensation in July 2000. Connecticut and New York were each awarded $3.65 million in federal disaster relief to: 1. Pay compensation to individuais for reductions in the number of lobsters caught in the Long Island lobster fishery in the 1999 fishing season, as compared to such catch in the 1998 fishing season as a result of the lobster disaster. 2. Provide direct sustaining aid to fishermen. 3. Provide assistance to communities that are dependent on such fishery and have suffered losses from such disaster. Grant no. NA16FW1439