Today, NOAA announces the award of $6.5 million in funding 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.
Around $900,000 will support six new awards to four states and a territory and one federally recognized tribe. Another $5.6 million will support the continuation of 27 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 support our state and tribal partners in a range of activities, such as:
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Designing and testing new fishing gear to reduce or remove significant sources of mortality and injury.
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Assessing and monitoring species presence, status, and movement, and collecting genetic information to improve understanding of population distribution, foraging ecology and habitat use, population structure, and restoration efforts.
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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 three “Species in the Spotlight” species: Cook Inlet beluga whales, North Atlantic right whales, and white abalone.
“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."
