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NEW BEDFORD — Massachusetts will receive $14.5 million in relief for the federal 2012 disaster declaration for the region's ground-fishermen.

 

"It'll tend to favor small boats and it will have the advantage of everyone gets treated the same," said John Bullard, Northeast regional administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is distributing the money.

 

Bullard was referring to checks for $32,463 that will go to 194 permit-holders across Massachusetts. In New Bedford, 40 permit holders qualify, NOAA said. Fairhaven numbers were not available.

 

Recipients needed to have caught 5,000 pounds of groundfish within any of the last four years. They have already been identified, though NOAA hasn't released the names.

 

"For some it will be significant help, for others it might be a drop in the bucket, but it's something, and they can do what they want with it," Bullard added.

 

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