September 4, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA:
As part of its efforts to build resilient coastal communities and sustainable marine resources, today, NOAA announced the availability of approximately $10 million in competitive grants through the 2016 Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program. The program addresses the needs of fishing communities, and increases opportunities to keep working waterfronts viable by funding fisheries research and development projects.
Through this year’s program, emphasis is being placed on rebuilding fish stocks, maintaining and restoring healthy ocean and coastal ecosystems, and promoting the economic vitality of fishery working waterfront communities. The program is also emphasizing community-based projects to help coastal communities retool fishing fleets, shore services and port facilities into sustainable and innovative businesses.
“The Saltonstall-Kennedy Program helps fishing communities across the country keep their economies thriving by building and maintaining sustainable fisheries and practices,” said Eileen Sobeck, assistant NOAA administrator for fisheries. “Funds from the program keep working waterfronts vibrant and help coastal communities with conservation and management measures. We hope to see proposals from across the nation and U.S. territories, each providing a unique approach to research and project development.”
To be considered for funding, projects should advance research in one of the following focus areas:
- Aquaculture
- Fishery data collection
- Techniques for reducing bycatch and other adverse impacts
- Adapting to climate change and other long term ecosystem change
- Promotion, development, and marketing
- Socio-economic research
- Science coming from within the U.S. territories
The 2016 deadline for proposals is November 2, 2015. Information on eligibility and application requirements can be found at www.grants.gov. Additional application instructions are available on the NOAA Fisheries website.
The Saltonstall-Kennedy Act established a fund used by the Secretary of Commerce to provide grants or cooperative agreements for fisheries research and development projects addressing aspects of U.S. fisheries, including, but not limited to harvesting, processing, marketing and associated business infrastructures. The objective of the Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program is to address the needs of the fisheries and fishing communities in optimizing economic benefits by building and maintaining sustainable fisheries and practices.
President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act into law in July 1954, which established the fund and its annual grants. Massachusetts senators Leverett Saltonstall and John F. Kennedy, the future president, authored the Act to promote and market domestic seafood.