2024 Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program | NOAA NMFS FHQ 2024 2008210

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS FHQ 2024 2008210

The 2024 Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP) is a competitive federal grant opportunity run by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) within the Department of Commerce. Its core purpose is practical and engineering-focused: to support the development, testing, and adoption of technologies and fishing practice changes that reduce bycatch. In this context, bycatch includes both non-target fish and protected species such as Endangered Species Act-listed fish, marine mammals, seabirds, and sea turtles. The program also explicitly targets reductions in harm to vulnerable marine invertebrates and habitats, including sponges, deep-sea corals, and shallow tropical corals. The emphasis is on solutions that can be used in real fisheries and that generate results managers can act on for federally managed living marine resources.

A key theme in the program description is moving beyond simply documenting bycatch and toward engineering and operational changes that measurably reduce it. That can include gear modifications, alternative gear designs, deterrent or exclusion devices, improved handling and release methods, or changes in when, where, and how fishing occurs to avoid interactions with protected species. BREP also allows (and may prioritize) work that quantifies post-release mortality and injury, since survival after release is often a major uncertainty in bycatch management. Projects that identify concrete ways to minimize injury during capture and improve survival after release fit squarely within the program mission, especially when the outcomes can be translated into guidance, best practices, or management tools.

For Fiscal Year 2024, NMFS anticipates making about $2.3 million available in total, supporting roughly 10 to 15 projects. The stated maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $200,000 per project, indicating that proposals should be scoped for targeted, applied work that can produce usable results without requiring very large multi-year budgets. Funding is issued as a cooperative agreement, which usually means the federal agency expects to have substantial involvement during the project (for example, coordinating on methods, data needs, testing plans, or outreach to fishery partners), rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal agency engagement.

The opportunity is labeled discretionary and falls under the broad activity areas of environment, natural resources, and science and technology research and development. The CFDA (assistance listing) number is 11.472. The funding opportunity number is NOAA NMFS FHQ 2024 2008210, and it was created on September 28, 2023. The application deadline listed is March 20, 2024. While the full notice refers to specific research priorities in the Program Priority Section (I.B.1 through I.B.5), the summary provided makes clear that proposals should align with those priority bycatch research needs and produce outcomes that can directly influence federal fisheries management decisions.

Eligibility is broad and includes most common research, government, industry, and community-based applicant types. Eligible applicants include state, county, and municipal governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; individuals; for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses); and small businesses. This wide eligibility suggests NMFS is open to solutions coming not only from academic research teams, but also from fishing industry innovators, gear manufacturers, community groups, and partnerships that can move engineering concepts into operational trials and eventual adoption.

Overall, BREP is aimed at producing tangible, field-ready bycatch reduction outcomes. Competitive projects are likely to be those that clearly define the bycatch problem in a specific fishery, propose a realistic engineering or operational intervention, include a credible plan for testing and evaluation (including measuring bycatch reduction and any effects on target catch or safety), and show a pathway for results to be used by fishermen and managers. The program is designed to help turn workable ideas into demonstrable tools or practices that reduce unintended catch and associated injury or mortality while supporting sustainable fisheries.

• 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 "2024 Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.472.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-09-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-03-20. (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 $200,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for NOAA NMFS FHQ 2024 2008210

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