2020 Pacific Islands Region Marine Turtle Management and Conservation Program | NOAA NMFS PIRO 2020 2006311

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS PIRO 2020 2006311

The 2020 Pacific Islands Region Marine Turtle Management and Conservation Program is a competitive grant and cooperative agreement opportunity run by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO), under the U.S. Department of Commerce. It is aimed at funding practical conservation, protection, and management work that helps recover sea turtle species protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), specifically those that occur within the Pacific Islands Region (PIR) or have clear biological or management linkages to the region. The core idea is to support projects that meaningfully contribute to NOAA/NMFS sea turtle recovery responsibilities, especially where turtles migrate through, nest in, or forage within the PIR, or where they are affected by federally managed activities in the region.

Geographically, the program is focused on two broad areas. First, it solicits projects in Hawaii and U.S. Pacific territories, reflecting PIRO's domestic management footprint. Second, it also supports certain international projects where the targeted turtle populations are connected to the Pacific Islands Region through migration routes, shared stocks, or recovery priorities. For FY2020, the international emphasis is narrowed to specific places tied to specific population segments: the Philippines for the Central West Pacific Green Turtle Distinct Population Segment, Japan for the North Pacific Loggerhead Turtle Distinct Population Segment, and Indonesia and the Solomon Islands for West Pacific leatherback turtles. This structure reflects the reality that many sea turtle populations cross international boundaries, so recovery and threat reduction often require on-the-ground action in nesting or key foraging areas outside U.S. jurisdiction.

From a funding standpoint, this was a discretionary opportunity (meaning awards are made through a competitive selection process rather than by formula). Awards were to be made as either grants or cooperative agreements, indicating that some projects could involve closer federal involvement or coordination depending on the nature of the work. The opportunity carried a maximum award amount (award ceiling) of $100,000 per award, with NOAA expecting to make about eight awards. The funding activity categories emphasize environmental and natural resource conservation as well as science and technology and other research and development, suggesting that projects could range from direct conservation actions (such as reducing threats at nesting beaches or addressing bycatch) to monitoring, applied research, or management-focused studies that directly inform recovery actions.

Administratively, the opportunity was published under the funding opportunity number NOAA NMFS PIRO 2020 2006311 and tied to CFDA (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance) number 11.454. The notice was created on November 27, 2019, and the original application deadline was January 31, 2020. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with further clarification referenced in the full announcement, which typically means a wider pool than just state governments and may include nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, tribal or indigenous organizations, local governments, and other qualified entities depending on the specific eligibility language in the detailed notice.

Overall, the program is best understood as a targeted, relatively small-award funding stream designed to produce tangible conservation and management outcomes for ESA-listed sea turtles tied to the Pacific Islands Region, with a deliberate mix of U.S.-based and strategically chosen international project locations that address threats and recovery needs across the turtles' migratory range.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2020 Pacific Islands Region Marine Turtle Management and Conservation Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.454.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 27, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 31, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA NMFS PIRO 2020 2006311

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