Saving Seafood

USD 12 million awarded for restoring fish habitats, growing oysters in Long Island Sound

Decemeber 4, 2025 — The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has awarded USD 12 million (EUR 10.3 million) in grants to support the health of the Long Island Sound, with much of the funding supporting improvements to fish habitats, marine debris removal, and oyster recovery.

The grants will also leverage USD 8 million (EUR 6.9 million) in matching contributions from recipients of the funding, bringing the total investment to USD 20 million (EUR 17.2 million). The grants were awarded through the Long Island Sound Futures Fund, a project launched in 2005 in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to improve the health of the sound and conserve habitat.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

ALASKA: As inflation continues to rise, some fisheries turn to artificial intelligence to lower costs

August 18, 2025 — New technology is coming to Alaskan fisheries thanks to a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

The grant was to the Alaska’s Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA) and the $485,000 will be used to develop technology to incorporate artificial intelligence into the existing electronic monitoring (EM) program.

ALFA is partnering with the Canadian company Archipelago Marine Research to enhance its FishVue AI tool, training it for Alaskan sablefish and halibut fixed gear fisheries. This move is expected to help increase efficiency and lower costs for the fishermen.

“If you participate in federal fisheries, your vessel is over 40 feet, you’re required to have either an onboard observer or an electronic monitoring, an EM camera system, on your vessel for a percentage of your trips that get monitored and that’s federal regulation,” ALFA policy coordinator Lauren Howard explained.

Read the full article at Alaska News Source

ALASKA: Grant will aid use of AI in electronic monitoring for Alaska halibut harvesters

August 4, 2025 — Longline fishermen in Southeast Alaska are embarking on a new program to advance use of artificial intelligence technology in their fishery monitoring program, thanks to a $485,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

The plan announced by the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA) in Sitka on July 28 calls for partnering with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) and Canada’s Archipelago Marine Research Ltd. to enhance Archipelago’s FishVue AI tool and train it for the Alaska sablefish and halibut fixed gear fisheries.

The project will focus on increasing efficiency and lowering the fleet’s overall observer cost. “Many small boat fishermen prefer EM systems over human observers, so increasing the usefulness and effectiveness of EM should have direct benefits to our members and Alaska’s fixed gear fleet in general,” said Lauren Howard, policy coordinator for ALFA.

Archipelago, based in Victoria, British Columbia, is an industry leader in fisheries electronic monitoring. The firm works with the fishing industry, non-government organizations (NGOs) and regulators to implement sustainable practices through at-sea and dockside observer programs, electronic monitoring technology, and marine environmental services.

ALFA, Archipelago and PSMFC also have EM expertise in the Gulf of Alaska where the project will be based.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Opportunity: New England Gear Innovation Fund 2023 Request for Proposals

April 27, 2023 — The following was released by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation:

NFWF is excited to share that our New England Gear Innovation Fund Request for Proposals (RFP) is now available here and accepting pre-proposals through May 22, 2023. The program seeks to promote the development and adoption of innovative gear technologies in New England fisheries, including fixed gear fisheries like lobster and Jonah crab. We encourage you to share this funding opportunity with colleagues or constituents who may be interested. Please note that work with fisheries, like NE Mobile Gear fisheries, to address innovative gear marking or other issues would be eligible for funding.

Full information on the funding priorities of the New England Gear Innovation Fund is available in the RFP, but high level priorities include:

  • Develop, test, or deploy innovative gear technologies that meet fishery participants’ needs in a viable and economically feasible way and that reduce entanglement risk posed by vertical lines on lobster traps and other fixed gear fisheries.
  • Conduct outreach with fishermen to encourage participation in the process of developing, testing, and voluntarily adopting innovative gear.

The program is assessing the funding need of the region and NFWF will award grants towards that need, providing up to $18 million in grants. Awards are anticipated to range between $250,000 and $2,000,000, but applicants seeking grants larger or smaller than that are still encouraged to apply and are eligible.

Short (2 page) pre-proposals must be submitted through NFWF’s Easygrants system no later than May 22, 2023.  This RFP is also accepting early pre-proposals, with all pre-proposals reviewed as they are submitted on a rolling basis. If you feel that you have a project concept that is well developed and would benefit from earlier access to funds, please contact Gray Redding (gray.redding@nfwf.org) immediately for information on these early submission deadlines. All interested applicants must submit a pre-proposal in order to be invited to the full proposal process. Full proposals will be due July 13, 2023, with an earlier full proposal deadline for those seeking the early submission process.

NFWF is hosting a webinar on May 2nd, at 3 PM (Eastern). The webinar will include information about the application process and funding priorities. To register, please follow this link: Webinar Registration. Applicants are strongly encouraged to participate, but if you are unable to attend live, the webinar will be recorded and posted on the RFP page. In addition to the webinar, interested parties can schedule time to speak with NFWF staff regarding their pre-proposal at this link: Schedule Pre-Proposal Appointment.

$25.2 million for emergency coastal resilience

June 6, 2022 — The following was released by NOAA Communications:

Contact

Jennie Lyons, jennie.lyons@noaa.gov, 202-603-9372

Rob Blumenthal, rob.blumenthal@nfwf.org, 202-857-0166

June 6, 2022

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with NOAA, today announced $25.2 million in grants to help coastal communities affected by hurricanes and wildfires in 2020 or 2021 increase their resilience to future natural disasters. The new grants will leverage $4.9 million in additional funding to generate a total conservation impact of $30.1 million.

Sixteen projects will help communities better withstand natural disasters and recover more quickly afterwards, all while improving habitat for fish and wildlife. Restoring and protecting natural systems will help protect coastal communities from the impacts of storms, floods, sea-level rise inundation, erosion and wildfires.

“Coastal communities around the country are feeling the effects of climate change in profound ways,” said Rick Spinrad, Ph.D., NOAA Administrator. “These grants are strategic investments designed to help communities become more resilient in the face of persistent change and will help build a Climate-Ready Nation.”

“The projects funded through this program showcase the interconnectedness of coastal habitats and human communities in the face of a changing climate,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “With this funding, natural systems will play a key part in bolstering these areas against future natural disasters, benefiting both people and wildlife.”

Congress granted the funding through the FY 2022 Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. NFWF is leveraging these funds with additional support from the Bezos Earth Fund.

Projects selected are employing a number of different nature-based activities that support wildlife such as wetland habitat restoration, living shoreline construction, dam removal and wildfire fuels reduction. Communities across 10 states will benefit from this work, and, when fully implemented, these projects will also benefit over 60,000 acres of habitat.

This grant slate represents the second slate of Emergency Coastal Resilience Fund projects administered by NFWF in partnership with NOAA, the first having been awarded in 2020 in response to the storms and wildfires of 2018.

Grant projects will take place in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey and New York.

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate, foundation and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 6,000 organizations and generated a total conservation impact of $7.4 billion. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.

About the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Climate, weather and water affect all life on our ocean planet. NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict our changing environment, from the deep sea to outer space, and to manage and conserve America’s coastal and marine resources. See how NOAA science, services and stewardship benefit your community: Visit noaa.gov for our latest news and features, and join us on social media.

 

NOAA, NFWF grant $39.5 million for coastal resilience

November 18, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and NOAA today announced $39.5 million in new grants from the National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF) that will support coastal resilience projects in 28 states and U.S. territories. The 49 grants announced today will generate more than $58.3 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of nearly $97.8 million.

The NCRF increases and strengthens natural infrastructure to protect coastal communities while also enhancing habitats for fish and wildlife. Established in 2018, the NCRF invests in conservation projects that restore or expand natural features such as coastal marshes and wetlands, dune and beach systems, oyster and coral reefs, forests, coastal rivers and floodplains, and barrier islands that minimize the impacts of storms and other naturally occurring events on nearby communities. A complete list of the 2021 grants is available here.

NCRF is a partnership between NFWF, NOAA, Shell Oil Company, TransRe, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), AT&T, and Occidental, with additional funding support from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). This year marks the first year of participation from Occidental. 

“NOAA is proud to support critical projects in coastal communities, helping them to adapt to coastal change and better prepare for climate-driven hazards,” said Rick Spinrad, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “NOAA is committed to improving the resilience of our nation’s coastline to mitigate the effects of climate change, protecting people and improving the environment.” 

“The grants announced today will help communities from Maine to Hawaii strengthen coastal landscapes, adapt to a changing climate, sustain local wildlife and harness the benefits of natural habitats to increase community resilience to future storms and floods,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “Grants awarded through the NCRF will help reduce flooding by increasing water retention capacity through restored floodplains, mangroves and wetlands. Restored beach dunes, barrier islands and oyster reefs will provide living barriers to storm surge and wave intensity, all while providing habitat for fish and wildlife.”

NFWF, in partnership with NOAA and joined initially by Shell and TransRe, launched the NCRF in 2018 to support on-the-ground projects that engage communities and reduce their vulnerability to growing risks from coastal storms, sea-level rise, flooding, erosion and extreme weather through strengthening natural ecosystems that also benefit fish and wildlife. 

“In the wake of Hurricane Ida, investments like these underscore the importance of using nature’s ecosystems to improve the resilience of our working coast,” said Colette Hirstius, Shell’s Senior Vice President, Gulf of Mexico. “By working together, we can best preserve and protect our environment in a way that supports our local communities, businesses, and the place that we call home.”

“Since 2018 we have seen the positive results that are possible, and we believe that practical projects will continue to do good for the environment and for the communities they touch,” said Ken Brandt, TransRe’s President and CEO. “NFWF have shown effective leadership in the projects they select, fund and support, and we continue to support their efforts, and all the efforts of the communities involved.”

Increasingly severe hurricanes and erosion put coastal communities at far higher risk of flooding, storm damage, compromised infrastructure and loss of life. Coastal ecosystems and natural features that have historically provided a defense against the impacts of coastal storms and flooding are being lost to coastal development and sea-level rise.

NCRF supports projects that restore or enhance natural infrastructure in ways that benefit both wildlife populations and coastal communities. By investing in these nature-based solutions to increasing environmental stressors, the NCRF seeks to increase the resilience of both human and wildlife communities to coastal flooding events.

“EPA is proud to support community-driven projects that strengthen resilience and climate adaptation strategies in the Gulf of Mexico region,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “With this funding, we will advance efforts to identify hazards and better protect Gulf communities—especially low income neighborhoods and communities of color that are often hurt first and worst by the climate crisis.” 

“The Department of Defense views climate as a real and existential national security threat and as such is developing new plans and strategies to combat the climate crisis and sustain military readiness” said Ron Tickle, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Real Property). “The recently released Climate Adaptation Plan, for example, lays out key activities and actions DoD will take to preserve operational capabilities and ensure the Military Services can operate under changing climate conditions. Through our partnership with NFWF and the NCRF, DoD advances multiple strategic priorities in the Plan, including enhancing adaptation and resilience through collaboration and creating resilient natural infrastructure. By promoting natural infrastructure solutions and leveraging our shared interests, DoD and NFWF will advance resilience projects at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and Naval Weapons Station Earle, New Jersey. Together, these projects will restore coastal habitats near the installations to protect our training lands, critical infrastructure, and neighboring communities from climate change impacts.”

While the NCRF prioritizes direct restoration projects to increase natural infrastructure function, the projects supported by the 49 grants announced today span activities from community engagement in planning and prioritization to building capacity for coastal engineering and design development to help communities understand their best options. The National Coastal Resilience Fund employs a ‘pipe-line’ approach to investments to meet communities where they are in the process of increasing their resilience and working with them through the implementation of high impact projects to meet their goals. 

“Network planning for extreme weather is critical for the millions of people who rely on the connectivity we provide,” said Shannon Carroll, director of global environmental sustainability at AT&T. “Contributing to the NCRF allows us to support resilience projects that will help protect our network, the communities we serve, and fish and wildlife habitats. This is important work, especially for underserved neighborhoods that are often most vulnerable to flooding and storms.”

A short video about the National Coastal Resilience Fund can be viewed here. 

MSC announces two new director appointments for North America

July 21, 2021 — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) said it’s strengthening its presence in North America with the appointments of Erika Feller and Kurtis Hayne.

Feller, formerly of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, assumed the role of regional director of the Americas for MSC on 12 July, the organization announced in a press release. She brings more than two decades of experience to the position, specializing in fisheries and cross-sector partnerships, and will be based in Washington, D.C., U.S.A., MSC said.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

MSC strengthens its presence in North America with senior level appointments

July 20, 2021 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) announces two new senior appointments in the Americas strengthening its position as a leader within the sustainable seafood movement. Erika Feller joins the MSC as Regional Director of the Americas from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation where she oversaw its ocean and coastal conservation efforts. She has more than two decades of experience working on marine issues, with a focus on fisheries and cross-sector partnerships. In Canada, Kurtis Hayne has been appointed Program Director to lead the Canada strategy. He most recently was the Senior Commercial and Fisheries Manager, Canada West and brings almost a decade of experience working for various organizations in seafood market analysis, fisheries, and ocean conservation.

Feller joined the MSC senior program management team on July 12 and is based in Washington, D.C. In her role as Regional Director she oversees the MSC’s work in the Americas, continuing to expand the MSC’s work with fisheries, the supply chain, and consumers. She leads a team of approximately 30 staff in Canada, the US, and Latin America, working closely with Program Directors: Cristian Vallejos in Latin America, Eric Critchlow in the US, and Kurtis Hayne in Canada.

Rupert Howes, Chief Executive of MSC, said: “I am delighted to welcome Erika to the MSC. Erika brings a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the sustainable seafood movement, as well as multistakeholder and solutions focused coalition building that will accelerate MSC’s work across the region to recognize and encourage sustainable fishing practices that support healthy marine ecosystems. I’m also pleased to recognize Kurtis Hayne, recently appointed as Canada’s Program Director. There is a huge opportunity to grow public awareness of sustainable seafood in the Americas and I look forward to working with Erika, Kurtis and the broader team in achieving that.”

“Sustainable fisheries help to keep oceans healthy and seafood on our plates; both are important to me,” said Feller. “I’m looking forward to being part of the MSC and for the opportunity to help fishermen and communities who are adopting sustainable practices on the water, as well as connect with consumers who care about where their food comes from.”

Feller brings a breadth of experience in ocean and coastal conservation. Most recently, she directed programs for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, guiding investment in improved fishery monitoring, coastal resilience, and helping to recover resources in the Gulf of Mexico impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. She began her career as a legislative and policy adviser on natural resource and environmental issues in the US House of Representatives, and later joined the Nature Conservancy where she led a North America-wide initiative to promote sustainable fisheries. She also served at the White House Council on Environmental Quality supporting interagency efforts on large scale ecosystem restoration around the U.S. Feller currently serves as the Chair of the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee, which advises the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on all living marine resource matters that are the responsibility of the Department of Commerce.

The new appointments come as the sustainable seafood movement builds momentum in the Americas with fisheries continuing to engage in the program, strong supply chain commitments, and increased visibility of the MSC blue fish label on seafood products. The vast majority (82.31%) of commercially landed seafood in the US, and more than half (57.6%) in Canada, is engaged in the MSC program, accounting for 4.25 million metric tons of seafood caught every year*. A further 1.4 million metric tons originate from fisheries engaged with the MSC program in Latin America* (*figures accurate as of July 2021).

Massachusetts launches ropeless gear study

January 22, 2021 — A year-long feasibility study to assess using ropeless trap gear in the New England lobster fishery has been launched by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries.

Funded in part by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in partnership with NOAA, the “accelerated timeline” project “will interview dozens of fishermen, technologists, policy experts, and scientists to fully evaluate the challenges and opportunities of the new gear type,” the state agency said in a Jan. 21 statement.

Ropeless gear – sometimes known as pop-up gear, or as Massachusetts officials call it, on-call gear – are designs that seek to replace the traditional floating buoy line gear used in lobster, crab and fish trap fisheries.

There’s high interest in these alternatives as a potential solution to prevent marine mammal entanglements in gear – especially the highly endangered northern right whale, with an East Coast population now estimated to be less than 400 animals.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

$2.8 Million in Grants Awarded in New England to Improve the Health of Long Island Sound

December 9, 2020 — The following was released by the Environmental Protection Agency:

Today, top federal and state environmental officials from New England announced 24 grants totaling $2.8 million to local governments, nongovernmental organizations and community groups to improve Long Island Sound. The grants are matched by $2.3 million from the grantees resulting in $5.1 million in funding for conservation around the Long Island Sound watershed.

Work funded through the Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF) has shown how projects led by local groups and communities make a difference in improving water quality and restoring habitat around the Long Island Sound watershed. The grant program combines funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF).

“Long Island Sound is vital to local communities, economies and ecosystems, and these grants will greatly benefit the Sound for years to come,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator Dennis Deziel. “Protecting and restoring Long Island Sound requires a watershed-wide approach and EPA is proud to again support diverse and innovative projects in five of the states that comprise the Sound’s watershed.”

The LISFF 2020 grants will reach more than 670,000 residents through environmental education programs and conservation projects. Water quality improvement projects will treat 5.4 million gallons of stormwater, install 23,000-square-feet of green infrastructure and prevent 3,000 pounds of nitrogen from entering Long Island Sound. The projects will also open 3.7 river miles and restore 108 acres of coastal habitat for fish and wildlife.

Representative Rosa DeLauro, Co-chair of the Long Island Sound Caucus, added: “The Long Island Sound is one of our most treasured natural resources, and it is vital that we continue to support programs and services that maintain its health and vitality. Having grown up on its shores, the Sound has always held a special place with me, and I am so proud to have the opportunity to work to ensure that its beaches and waters remain places for children and families to enjoy. We have made extraordinary strides, but issues with sewer overflows, stormwater runoff, and other climate change issues challenge us to do more – and so we will. As one of the Long Island Sound Caucus leaders, and the incoming Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, which is the committee that has jurisdiction over all discretionary funding, I am thrilled to have helped provide this funding for a revitalized Long Island Sound. I remain committed to working with NFWF and EPA and with my Congressional colleagues, and the many Long Island Sound advocates here today doing this critical conservation work.”

Read the full release here