It's been around six months since the US Small Business Administration (SBA) opened applications for a program that awarded more than 1,000 seafood companies an estimated $911 million (€776 million) in payroll loans as part of the US government program to aid businesses struggling during the lengthy coronavirus lockdown.
Whether or not the US federal government's massive Payroll Protection Program (PPP) was a success remains a question, with stories ranging from heartwarming small-business rescues to rampant fraud.
Despite the mixed reviews, the SBA estimates the program saved 51 million American jobs, and came as a much-needed lifeline to many seafood companies, particularly those with heavy reliance on the foodservice business, such as Santa Monica Seafood, according to CEO Roger O'Brien.
