Today, NOAA announces the award of $6.5 million to states and tribes through its Species Recovery Grant Program. These grants promote the recovery of species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
$3.8 million will support 15 new awards to 11 states and 2 federally recognized tribes. Another $2.7 million will support the continuation of 17 multi-year projects that were approved in prior grant cycles.
States and tribes play an essential role in conserving and recovering species. Threatened or endangered species under NOAA Fisheries’ jurisdiction may spend all or part of their lifecycle in state waters. Successfully conserving these species depends largely on working cooperatively with states and tribes. This year’s funding supports our state and tribal partners in a range of activities, such as:
- Reducing or removing significant sources of mortality and injury.
- Assessing and monitoring species status and trends.
- Engaging the public in conservation of Endangered Species Act-listed species.
We identified projects that would benefit the species identified in our “Species in the Spotlight” initiative as a priority in our funding decisions. Funded projects will address five “Species in the Spotlight” —Cook Inlet beluga whales, southern resident killer whales, Hawaiian monk seals, white abalone, and Atlantic salmon.
“The Species Recovery Grant Program is an example of how NOAA is making funding opportunities count towards recovering species and supporting our mission of preserving our marine resources for future generations,” said Donna Wieting, director of NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources. “These grants are an effective way for us to support states and tribes in our shared efforts to recover the most vulnerable marine species."
