Press Release
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.6 Million to Support Alaska’s Commercial Fishing Sector
Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
April 7, 2017
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Jr., today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.6 million grant to Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association (YDFDA) of Anchorage, Alaska, to rebuild and expand a major salmon processing plant. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 30 new jobs, retain 60 permanent summer jobs and attract $2 million in private investment.
“The Trump administration is committed to not only retaining jobs in this country, but creating countless new opportunities through infrastructure improvements benefitting Americans in their communities,” said Secretary Ross. “I look forward to the YDFDA again becoming a vital part of the local Anchorage economy.”
The EDA grant will rebuild and expand the Roe Processing Plant that was destroyed by a major fire in March 2016. The new building will allow the YDFDA to process salmon and salmon caviar for exports through wholesale and retail operations, providing new jobs to the community. The plant will also provide workforce training in tendering and processing salmon to local youth from local fisherman who work at the plant.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.