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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt">Attention RI Lobster and Jonah Crab Fishery Participants
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:white">The RIDEM Division of Marine Fisheries will be using economic relief funds to assist the Rhode Island Lobster and Jonah Crab Industry in compliance with the
recent NOAA final rule implementing changes to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan for the 2022 fishing year beginning May 1. As part of this assistance plan, weak line and weak links will be available to qualified fishery participants.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:white">The application period for these funds is now open.</span></u></b><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:white"> The
application period begins December 6<sup>th</sup> and ends December 20<sup>th</sup>, 2021 at 4:00pm.
<b>Applications received after the application period has closed will not be accepted</b>. For details on the assistance plan and eligibility requirements, please visit
<a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/marine-fisheries/Fisheries-CARES-Act.php#Whale">
http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/marine-fisheries/Fisheries-CARES-Act.php#Whale</a></span><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">
</span><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:white"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:white">The link for the assistance plan application and affidavit can also be found at
<a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/marine/pdf/WhaleLob_Affidavit.pdf">
http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/marine/pdf/WhaleLob_Affidavit.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:white">For more information contact:
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:white">Scott Olszewski, (401)423-1934,
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<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#0563C1;background:white"><a href="mailto:scott.olszewski@dem.ri.gov">scott.olszewski@dem.ri.gov</a></span></u><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:white"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">You are receiving this notice from the RIDEM Division of Marine Fisheries (rimarinefisheries listserve).
<b><u>This is an automated message system; please do not reply to this email</u>.</b><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">To
<b>unsubscribe</b> from this mailing list, send an email to <</span></i><a href="mailto:rimarinefisheries-unsubscribe@listserve.ri.gov"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue">rimarinefisheries-unsubscribe@listserve.ri.gov</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">>
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to <</span></i><a href="mailto:rimarinefisheries-owner@listserve.ri.gov"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue">rimarinefisheries-owner@listserve.ri.gov</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">>.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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