Cooperative Research Program

The Cooperative Research Program is a competitive federal assistance program that funds projects seeking to increase and improve the working relationship between researchers from NOAA Fisheries, state fishery agencies, universities, and fishermen. Congress has initiated the cooperative research funding to assist NOAA Fisheries to improve the confidence that both commercial and recreational fishermen have in the data and analyses performed in support of fisheries management.

The goals of the program are to provide a means of involving commercial and recreational fishermen in the collection of fundamental fisheries information to support the development and evaluation of management and regulatory options.

Cooperative research programs allow scientists and fishermen to bring valuable tools and experience to the objectives of a research project. Scientists realize that fishermen have knowledge, skills, and vessels that would not otherwise be available for research. Fishermen, willing to work with scientists, recognize that the information collected will not be used in management decisions unless it is scientifically credible. The interaction between fishermen and scientists not only improves the design and implementation of research studies but also improves the knowledge and acceptance of scientific results that are produced by such studies. Working together, fishermen and scientists can improve our understanding of the complex interactions between fishery resources and fishing practices.

The intent of the cooperative research program in the Southeast Region is to use the collective experience of fishermen and scientists to produce the best advice to fishery managers based on fishing experience and sound scientific research procedures. The program focuses on critical management needs that have been identified by managers and the NOAA Fisheries Strategic Plan for Fisheries Research. As with the Marine Fisheries Initiative (MARFIN) program, this program is coordinated with other programs to provide regional assessments of fishery resources. The cooperative research program provides the necessary programmatic integration through cooperative planning, the accomplishment of program activities and sharing of results.