Deadline: 1-Oct-21
To help fish harvesters in Canada impacted by COVID-19, the Government of Canada created the Fish Harvester Benefit and Grant Program to provide financial support to self-employed harvesters who were not eligible for other financial relief programs.
In August 2020, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) implemented the Fish Harvester Benefit and Grant Program to support Canada’s self-employed fish harvesters who are economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but who were not eligible for other existing federal measures.
Funding Information
The Fish Harvester Grant supports vessel operators/owners with business expenses during the 2020 fishing year. It provides a grant to self-employed fish harvesters with a history of catch (in 2018 or 2019) and a valid fishing licence for 2020.
Payments are:
- made at 10% of the higher gross income from fishing income in 2018 or 2019 as reported to CRA
- not to exceed $10,000
- not to exceed actual 2020 expenses
- made in one installment, after the first application in 2020
Benefits
The Fish Harvester Benefit offers income support to self-employed fish harvesters and sharepersons (those who receive a share of landed value, non-wage earning crew) who suffered self-employed fishing income loss in 2020 compare to 2018 or 2019, as reported to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Payments are:
- made at 75% of income losses beyond a 25% threshold for the 2020 tax year when compared to 2018 or 2019
- made in two instalments, after the first application in 2020 and second application in 2021
- not to exceed a total combined first and second instalment amount of $10,164
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants:
- self-employed commercial fish harvesters. For example:
- owner-operators
- enterprise heads
- inshore licence holders
- those who held limited entry commercial licence eligibility (Pacific)
- freshwater fish harvesters (subject to provincial agreement to provide licensing information)
- Indigenous harvesters who were designated as Vessel Masters by their community under a communal commercial fishing licence.
For more information, visit https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fisheries-peches/initiatives/fhgbp-ppsp/index-eng.html
