2023/2024 Sea Scallop Research Set Aside | NOAA NMFS GARFO 2023 2007509

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS GARFO 2023 2007509

The 2023/2024 Sea Scallop Research Set Aside (RSA) opportunity is a NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) grant/cooperative agreement program run in coordination with the New England Fishery Management Council. It invites research proposals designed to improve understanding of the Atlantic sea scallop fishery and to strengthen the scientific information used to make scallop management decisions. Proposals are especially encouraged when they directly address the Council's published scallop research priorities described in the announcement's Program Priorities section, since those topics receive priority consideration during review.

A defining feature of this program is that it does not provide traditional federal grant dollars. Instead, selected projects are awarded a portion of scallop RSA quota, which can be harvested and sold, with the resulting revenue used to pay for the approved research activities and to compensate participating scallop vessel owners. In practice, award funding is therefore generated by the value of the quota rather than by an upfront federal cash award, which is why the listed award ceiling is shown as $0 even though projects can be substantial in scope.

The opportunity is categorized as discretionary and uses grant and cooperative agreement instruments. It aligns with several activity areas, including environment, science and technology research and development, information and statistics, and business and commerce, reflecting the program's blend of fisheries science and real-world commercial fishing operations. The CFDA listing is 11.454. The federal sponsor is the U.S. Department of Commerce through NOAA/NMFS (Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office). The agency anticipated making about 15 awards under this solicitation. The original posting date was September 19, 2022, with an original closing date of November 18, 2022.

Applicants should be prepared for compliance and documentation requirements tied to at-sea research. Fieldwork conducted on commercial fishing vessels may trigger additional safety inspection and permitting steps under U.S. Coast Guard requirements. The announcement notes that documentation related to these safety requirements must be submitted to NOAA and approved before any on-water activities begin, meaning project timelines and planning need to account for review and authorization before sailing. The program also adds a cost documentation rule: recipients must submit receipts or other proof of purchase for any equipment or supplies costing $5,000 or more, and those receipts must be included with the next scheduled progress report after the purchase occurs.

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional clarification expected in the announcement text, which typically means entities beyond standard academic institutions may be eligible, such as non-profits, research organizations, industry groups, or other qualified partners, depending on the detailed eligibility language in the full notice. Overall, this opportunity is structured to turn a managed portion of the scallop fishery (RSA quota) into a mechanism for funding applied research that directly supports scallop stock assessment, habitat and ecosystem understanding, fishery performance, and other management-relevant questions identified by the Council.

• The Department of Commerce in the business and commerce, environment, information and statistics, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2023/2024 Sea Scallop Research Set Aside" 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 Sep 19, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 18, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA NMFS GARFO 2023 2007509

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