President Donald Trump signs the CARES act, a $2 trillion rescue package to provide economic relief amid the coronavirus outbreak, at the Oval Office of the White House on March 27, 2020. plan.
Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images
This has been a trying time for all in the country and indeed the world. There has never been anything like this that affects so many lives and as a result our National economy. On behalf of the members of NACO and those commercial fishermen I represent of SOFA and working with a multitude of for hire charter boat owners, commercial fishermen, passenger vessel owners, and fish processors, I as well as others have worked tirelessly for over two weeks with many Congressional Leaders to ensure all of us were included in this desperately needed legislation.
In all my years of working on a host of issues to provide financial and regulatory relief to the fishing and passenger vessel industries with great success over the years, this issue by far is the most important issue I have had the pleasure of working on everyone’s behalf to ensure we can continue in business.
I personally want to thank everyone, if you are member of NACO and SOFA member I want to thank you for your continued financial and physical support and help when called upon, if you are not a member of either association but have responded to our calls for support with contacting your legislators thank all you as well.
Working together as we have shows everyone the power in numbers and standing together. Although at times there are differences in needs and philosophy, this effort and others in the past have shown that there are many issues we all have in common and those we don’t can be worked on..
Give and take always works.
Thanks to everyone, none of this could be accomplished without Your support.
Capt Bob Zales, II
President
NACO
Bare with us In moving forward we will generate more info on how to begin the process and assist as needed. Send your questions via email so we can be sure to answer you.
Thank you all for lending your voice in this endeavor.
As the current virus issues continues to create problems some of you may be experiencing a loss of business and future bookings due the concern about travel, especially to some locations where the virus is clearly present. The west coast is being hit hard, especially our members in the Washington State area. Our VP, Butch Smith, from Washington has communicated with his federal legislators about the devastation the virus problem has caused to the for hire charter fleet in that state. NACO will be working from a national perspective with Congress on this same issue to work to gain some financial assistance for the affected for hire charter boat owners. Butch was assured from his legislators that they are working to include them in the current efforts by Congress to provide assistance to small businesses thru the SBA with low interest loans. While this type of help may work for some it will not for most in our business. Similar to financial assistance from fishery disasters where funds are provided at no cost and loan, we will be seeking similar assistance for this national medical disaster.
To help us in this effort we need help from you. If you have been affected by cancellations, direct loss of trips, or in any other way adverse to your business that cause a lack of income we need to know what that impact is. We do not need to know personal information and should we receive any we will not disclose it to anyone. We are looking for a number of charter trips lost due to the virus issue, the total cost or each trip lost, the expenses for each trip, and a figure for lost profit from each trip. An example is a full day charter may cost the client $1,000.00, your expenses may be as high $500.00, so your profit would be $500.00. You would need financial assistance as close to the lost $500.00 you can get. We are looking for a total number of trips impacted, the area (west coast, Alaska, Great Lakes, Hawaii, east coast, Gulf of Mexico), you can include your state affected. We need this info ASAP. Please email the info to info@nacocharters.org.
While some of you have seen no negative impact yet, it may come so we suggest you be prepared and keep a good record of any loses. Those who have been impacted please provide your info ASAP. We will be sending Congress a request for help within the next day or so and will follow up that request with the numbers of loses we are able to calculate based on your responses.
