2022 BREP | NOAA NMFS FHQ 2022 2007151

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS FHQ 2022 2007151

The 2022 BREP grant opportunity (National Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program) is a discretionary federal funding program run by the Department of Commerce through NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Its central purpose is to fund practical, engineering-focused work that reduces bycatch in U.S. fisheries. In this context, "bycatch" includes both unwanted or non-target fish and protected species, with an explicit emphasis on Endangered Species Act-listed fish as well as marine mammals, seabirds, and sea turtles. The program also targets reducing fishing impacts on sensitive invertebrates and habitats, including sponges, deep-sea corals, and shallow tropical corals. Overall, BREP is geared toward solutions that can be applied in real-world fishing operations and that can inform or support federal management of living marine resources.

The program is especially interested in projects that develop or test technological modifications and operational changes in fishing practices that measurably prevent or reduce incidental capture, contact, injury, or death of non-target organisms. This often means gear innovations, gear modifications, deterrents or exclusion devices, improvements in handling and release practices, or other changes that can be adopted by fishermen and fleets. Alongside prevention, BREP also allows and encourages projects that quantify post-release mortality and injury, since the conservation and management benefit of releasing animals depends heavily on whether they survive after release. Proposals that identify methods to minimize post-release harm, improve survival, or reduce injury are consistent with the program's goals, as long as the outcomes are directly relevant to management needs for federally managed species and fisheries.

For Fiscal Year 2022, NMFS anticipated making roughly $2.5 million available in total. The program expected to fund about 10 to 15 projects, with an award ceiling of $250,000 per project. Funding is provided through a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates that NOAA/NMFS expects to have substantial involvement during the project period (for example, collaboration on technical direction, data considerations, or coordination with management priorities), rather than acting only as a pass-through funder. The research focus areas were tied to specific program priorities referenced in the opportunity announcement (Program Priority Section I.B.1 through I.B.5), meaning applicants were expected to align their projects with those stated priority needs for bycatch reduction research and engineering.

Eligibility was broad and included many types of applicants that can contribute to fisheries technology development and testing. Eligible entities included state, county, and local governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and even individuals, along with other applicants as further clarified in the notice. This wide eligibility reflects the program's applied nature, since effective bycatch solutions often come from partnerships among researchers, fishing industry participants, engineers, non-government organizations, and resource managers.

Key administrative details included the opportunity title "2022 BREP" and funding opportunity number "NOAA NMFS FHQ 2022 2007151," with CFDA number 11.472. The opportunity was created on December 15, 2021, and the original application deadline was April 2, 2022. In short, this opportunity was designed to support mid-sized, applied projects that can generate measurable bycatch reduction outcomes, improve survival of released species, and produce results that fisheries managers can use in decision-making for federally managed marine resources.

• 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 "2022 BREP" 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 Dec 15, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 02, 2022. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), 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, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA NMFS FHQ 2022 2007151

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