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Grants in the Greater Atlantic Region

Find out about grants administered in our region.

We support the NOAA Fisheries mission through competitive and non-competitive grants, cooperative agreements, and partnership activities.

Our regional federal program officers ensure the timely processing of all financial assistance awards, from the initial solicitation throughout the award period. We also provide technical assistance to grant applicants.

The program officers work in cooperation with the NOAA Grants Management, program staff, and grant recipients to facilitate the successful completion of project objectives.

The Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office administers a number of grant programs that fund a range of marine and fishery management issues. These include:  

Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program

The Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) is a cooperative state-federal program that designs, implements, and conducts marine fisheries statistics data collection programs and integrates those data into a single data management system that will meet the needs of fishery managers, scientists, and fishermen.

Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act

Projects funded by the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act) gather information and conduct activities that support management of United States multi-jurisdictional fisheries. These projects respond to fishery management planning, data collection (statistics), research, habitat, and law enforcement needs under the Atlantic Coastal Act.

Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET)

B-WET is an environmental education program that promotes locally relevant, experiential learning for K-12 school students. B-WET administers a competitive funding process that promotes Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs). New England B-WET funds projects in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. To be eligible, applicants must work with an audience in the targeted geography, but do not need to be from one of these states. K-12 public and independent schools and school systems, institutions of higher education, community-based and nonprofit organizations, state or local government agencies, interstate agencies, and Indian tribal governments may apply.

Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act

The Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986 is a formula-based financial assistance program with two purposes: (1) to promote and encourage state activities in support of the management of Interjurisdictional resources, and (2) to promote the management of interjurisdictional fisheries resources throughout their range.

Funds are made available to the states based on an apportionment formula that uses the volume and value of fish landed in each state by domestic commercial fishermen. A large portion of these funds are administered on obtaining catch and effort statistics and other fisheries information. This information is used to support management decisions both at the state level and those required under the Magnuson-Stevens Act and the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act.

Protected Resources Grants and Research Projects

The Greater Atlantic Region administers grants and cooperative agreements to a variety of partners, including state agencies, fishing industry members, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations, to provide financial assistance to address research questions and management needs for protected marine species. The funding for these projects originates from a variety of sources, including Congressionally directed and discretionary funds.

A variety of grant project categories have been identified to capture the different types of projects that have been funded. These categories include:

  • Gear Research Projects

  • Bycatch Reduction Projects

  • Fishing Gear Exchange/Buyback Projects

  • Large Whale Disentanglement Response Projects

  • Marine Mammal Research Projects (includes right whale state cooperative research)

Regional Fishery Management Councils

The Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office administers awards to the New England Fishery Management Council and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.  These awards support the administrative day-to-day functions of the regional councils as established under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

Saltonstall-Kennedy Program

The Saltonstall-Kennedy Program funds projects that address the needs of fishing communities, optimize economic benefits by building and maintaining sustainable fisheries, and increase other opportunities to keep working waterfronts viable.

Species Recovery Grants to States

Species Recovery Grants to States (ESA Section 6 Grant Program) support management, research, monitoring, and/or outreach activities that have direct conservation benefits for listed species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) within that State.

Last updated by Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office on June 24, 2019