Funded Species Recovery Grants to States Proposals

The tables below, organized by fiscal year, list the state agency, project description and award number, and federal funding amount awarded.

National

2023

Agency	Project	Federal Funding
California Department of Fish and Wildlife	Continuing and expanding the collaborative *white abalone* restoration stocking program in southern California. This project is embarking on the next phase of white abalone restoration by continuing biannual pulsed stocking of white abalone into established sites and working towards expanding stocking sites to more remote southern California locations with the development of streamlined stocking methods. These efforts will be conducted in coordination with NOAA Fisheries and will leverage the strengths of all partner organizations to promote healthy self-sustaining wild populations of white abalone. (NA23NMF4720172)	FY23: $249,552 FY24: $260,586 FY25: $271,170 Total: $781,308
Georgia Department of Natural Resources; North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission; South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (JOINT)	Population structure and connectivity of juvenile and sub-adult *Atlantic sturgeon* in the *Carolina and South Atlantic DPSs.* This project seeks to use a combination of genetic mixed-stock analysis and acoustic telemetry to inform population structure of Atlantic sturgeon in the southern extent of their range (within the Carolina and South Atlantic DPSs). The main project goal will be to estimate the extent of population mixing within and between DPSs for sub-adult Atlantic sturgeon. The project will take advantage of archived tissue samples from several major river systems in the Carolina and South Atlantic DPSs, as well as established acoustic telemetry arrays to track seasonal and annual movements over multiple years. (NA23NMF4720166, NA23NMF4720167, NA23NMF4720164)	FY23: $326,016 FY24: $305,022 FY25: $196,617 Total: $827,655
Maine Department of Marine Resources	*North Atlantic right* and *fin whales* off the coast of Maine: Filling a critical data-gap to support management of endangered whales. The goal of this project is to determine fin whale and North Atlantic right whale (NARW) distribution, abundance, and density within the waters of Maine using data from simultaneous passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) and aerial surveys. The objectives are to: 1) Collect two years of PAM and aerial survey data, 2) Estimate the density of fin whales and density of NARW vocal activity from PAM, and estimate abundance and density of whales from aerial surveys, 3) Correlate visually and acoustically derived encounter rates and/or density estimates for each focal species, and 4) Develop species distribution models to estimate the spatiotemporal distribution of NARW and fin whales, integrate relevant oceanographic variables, and compare/integrate acoustic analyses. This work will fill a critical data gap for endangered whales off the coast of Maine. In doing so, it will contribute important information to state and federal agencies tasked with mitigating threats to NARW and fin whale recovery. (NA23NMF4720169)	FY23: $259,517 FY24: $256,124 FY25: $235,646 Total: $751,287
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources	Confirmation of a native *shortnose sturgeon* population in the Edisto River, SC. The shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) was once abundant in all major coastal river systems but now is one of the most endangered members of the sturgeon family. According to the NMFS Final Recovery Plan for the Shortnose Sturgeon (1998), a population is thought to inhabit the Edisto River, however population dynamics are completely unknown. The lack of data and presence of hatchery-reared shortnose sturgeon from Savannah River have called into question the existence of a native population in the Edisto River. Objectives of this study are to provide critical information for shortnose sturgeon of all life stages with the goal of confirmation of a native and genetically distinct population of shortnose sturgeon in the Edisto River. Methods will include mark-recapture via gillnetting, acoustic telemetry, and genetic analysis. These data will address Priority 1 tasks identified in the recovery plan, allow for improved management, and aid in restoring this population to healthy levels. (NA23NMF4720173)	FY23: $100,000 FY24: $166,989 FY25: $171,180 Total: $438,169
U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources	Determination of the population status and distribution of *ESA listed corals* of the US Virgin Islands for rescue and restoration planning. This proposal aims to assess the population status and distribution of ESA listed stony coral species in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) at a critical juncture after the appearance and severe negative impacts of Caribbean Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. This project will: (1) Use field-tested stratified randomized synoptic surveys to achieve robust estimates of surviving populations of three species in the USVI (Acropora cervicornis, Acropora palmata, and Dendrogyra cylindrus), (2) Carry out rescue of extremely susceptible ESA species, and (3) Engage the wider public in awareness of ESA listed stony coral species through community outreach. (NA23NMF4720170)	FY23: $329,827 FY24: $323,030 FY25: $135,006 Total: $787,863

2022

Agency	Project	Federal Funding
Alaska Department of Fish and Game	Emerging threats to the recovery of the Western Distinct Population Segment of Steller sea lions: Effects of marine heatwave on adult female survival, foraging, health and diet (MM-064). In the central and eastern Gulf of Alaska in collaboration with Alaska Native Organizations, this project proposes to (1) examine diet through year-round scat collections to determine recent and sex-specific diet composition following the North Pacific marine heatwave, (2) determine sex-specific exposure of Steller sea lions to algal biotoxins in relation to diet composition, (3) monitor foraging behavior of females for indication of poor foraging efficiencies following the North Pacific marine heatwave, (4) examine novel disease and biotoxin exposure through a sample of live captured females, and (5) assess short- and long-term mortality risk to females from these emerging threats. (NA22NMF4720104)	FY22: $357,959 FY23: $390,933 FY24: $126,740 Total: $875,632
Alaska Department of Fish and Game	Surveying the Subsistence Harvest of Ringed, Bearded, Spotted and Ribbon Seals* at the Highest Priority Communities in Alaska (MM-063).* This project addresses critical data gaps by documenting and reporting the current subsistence harvest of ice seals at communities that have historically harvested the most seals regionally. This project will collect, or facilitate the collection of, harvest information (including struck and lost rates) from high-priority communities in each ice seal harvesting region. (NA22NMF4720100)	FY22: $82,383 FY23: $92,858 FY24: $90,422 Total: $265,663
California Department of Fish and Wildlife	White Abalone Captive Propagation: Increasing Production for Outplanting. This project seeks to (1) increase the number of white abalone for outplanting by improving captive reproduction and survival of animals to outplanting size through work in the White Abalone Culture Laboratory, (2) improve the health of captive and outplanted white abalone through work in the Shellfish Health Laboratory, and (3) provide education, outreach, and extension. The multiple objectives of this proposed work include maintaining the white abalone captive breeding program at the University of California, Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory and conducting health maintenance and disease research of white abalone. (NA22NMF4720103)	FY22: $762,811 FY23: $803,138 FY24: $814,920 Total: $2,380,869
California Department of Fish and Wildlife	Assessing critical information gaps in the population and habitat status of the endangered black abalone. This project aims to provide an updated and more accurate assessment of the range-wide (Northern California, United States of America to Baja California, Mexico) abundance of black abalone as well as the spatial distribution and condition of habitat. (NA22NMF4720097)	FY22: $150,288 FY23: $103,791 Total: $254,079
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control	Informed Management of an Endangered Species: Monitoring Atlantic Sturgeon Recruitment and Spawning Run Abundance with Forecasts of Abundance in the New *York Bight DPS.* This fully integrated multi-state proposal employs recently published methodology to incorporate hydroacoustic surveys and existing acoustic receiver networks to estimate number of spawners which are coupled with two well established river-resident juvenile surveys to forecast recovery of adults in the Delaware and Hudson Rivers. Despite their historical significance contemporary data, including an understanding of the factors driving population dynamics remain unknown and are urgently required for the recovery of this species. This proposal leverages recently awarded National Fish and Wildlife Foundation funding in the Delaware, existing telemetry arrays, river-resident juvenile surveys in both systems, and large numbers of telemetered adults, allowing a unique opportunity to understand the recruitment dynamics in two centrally important rivers for the management and recovery of this species. The adult and river-resident juvenile estimates will be used to help set and track recovery objectives. (NA22NMF4720106)	FY22: $308,529 FY23: $221,145 FY24: $232,752 Total: $762,426
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control & Maryland Department of Natural Resources	Molecular assessment of a stressed Atlantic sturgeon* nursery habitat: The Nanticoke River-Marshyhope Creek, Chesapeake Bay.* The project seeks to target telemetry and outreach activities in urban segments of spawning tributaries and proposes to (1) identify nursery areas through eDNA surveys, (2) continue efforts to sample juveniles directly, (3) use side-scan sonar and electrofishing to measure blue catfish predator densities in presumed nursery areas, (4) census spawning run size in all up-estuary segments of the Nanticoke River system, (5) continue spawning run telemetry and genetic studies, emphasizing local habitat use in urban riverfront areas, linking that science to effective outreach in Federalsburg and Seaford communities, (6) evaluate predation pressure and climate change on population viability through a life history model, and (7) continue and augment outreach and advisory work conducted by study partners. (NA22NMF4720107; NA22NMF4720108)	FY22: $363,054 FY23: $329,370 FY24: $339,013 Total: $1,031,437
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Promoting smalltooth sawfish* recovery in Florida by engaging stakeholders and conducting scientific research in existing and historically occupied habitats.* The project will (1) maintain the 'Sawfish Hotline' and its associated database, which is a major outreach mechanism and primary data source for the recovery plan, (2) conduct fishery-independent sampling in the Charlotte Harbor Estuary Unit of small juvenile critical habitat, in a historically occupied nursery in the southern Indian River Lagoon where preliminary evidence has shown re-establishment may be occurring, and other regions as necessary, (3) use long-term acoustic tags (10+ years) and acoustic receivers to monitor movements in existing and historically occupied nursery habitats, and (4) monitor the large-scale movements of older life stages state-wide using 2 acoustic data-sharing networks. (NA22NMF4720102)	FY22: $259,890 FY23: $253,583 FY24: $237,616 Total: $751,089
Georgia Department of Natural Resources	Assessing reproduction and recruitment dynamics of Atlantic and Shortnose Sturgeon* in Georgia coastal rivers.* This study aims to fill critical knowledge gaps for Atlantic sturgeon and shortnose sturgeon reproduction and recruitment dynamics in coastal rivers of Georgia. Our multi-prong approach will provide insight into life history traits and strategies by examining reproductive behaviors (e.g., spawning periodicity and migration patterns) and recruitment strength through time. By combining novel and proven approaches, we will gain valuable insights into population and meta-population dynamics in coastal rivers in Georgia and beyond. The specific project objectives of this proposal are (1) quantify Atlantic sturgeon and shortnose sturgeon recruitment in the Savannah, Ogeechee, Altamaha, and Satilla rivers, and (2) to determine natal river fidelity and spawning periodicity of Atlantic sturgeon and shortnose sturgeon in the Altamaha, Savannah, Satilla, and Ogeechee Rivers using a microchemistry approach. (NA22NMF4720099)	FY22: $222,111 FY23: $268,752 FY24: $277,487 Total: $768,350
Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources	Management, conservation, and long term recovery of the Hawaiian Monk Seal* and Sea Turtles in the Hawaiian Archipelago.* There are three main objectives and proposed activities for each objective: (1) Continue successful and implement new management actions to facilitate the recovery of monk seals and hawksbill and green sea turtles. Specific management/office actions include pursuing regulatory changes, training Makai Watch volunteers, increasing promotion of the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Tip application to improve State law enforcement capability, expanding the Division of Aquatic Resources' predator removal program, and expanding the Division of Aquatic Resources' marine debris/derelict fishing net removal program. (2) Continue successful and implement new public outreach and education actions to facilitate the recovery of monk seals and hawksbill and green sea turtles. Specific outreach and education actions include developing boater education to reduce vessel strikes, attending large group community meetings focused on protected species issues, continuing successful grade school education programs (in person or virtual) and creating new educational materials focused on monk seals and turtles in a variety of media formats, continuing the popular, long-running Barbless Circle Hook Project to reduce hooking injuries, and creating a new Division of Aquatic Resources' protected species web page. (3) Continue successful and expand monitoring and response actions in collaboration with NOAA agencies to facilitate the recovery of monk seals and hawksbill and green sea turtles. (NA22NMF4720098)	FY22: $406,790 FY23: $412,142 FY24: $419,858 Total: $1,238,790
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife	Enhancing co-occurrence assessment of whales* and fishing gear in Oregon waters through incorporation of prey data and residency analysis.* This project will improve predictive whale density models with two more years of data collection to increase sample sizes and inclusion of prey data in the whale distribution models through a comprehensive analysis of krill swarm distribution and structure. This project will also (1) conduct DNA genotyping of 120 humpback whale tissue samples collected across the whole US West Coast for assignment to Distinct Population Segments, (2) examine the residency patterns of humpback whales from each Distinct Population Segment to provide estimates of entanglement risk to different population units while in Oregon waters and, (3) continue documenting leatherback sea turtle (and sunfish) sighting data to share with collaborators to assist with efforts to describe leatherback abundance and distribution off Oregon. (NA22NMF4720105)	FY22: $248,146 FY23: $218,350 FY24: $170,597 Total: $637,093
Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources	Influence of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease on the spatial distribution, demographics, and genetic diversity of the threatened pillar coral* (Dendrogyra cylindrus) in Puerto Rico.* This project seeks to fill vital information gaps on spatial distribution, demographics, and genetic diversity of the pillar coral that will be used to develop a species restoration plan and improve and expand current efforts to rescue and restore this species. In addition, the project seeks to expand stony coral tissue loss disease intervention efforts on D. cylindrus by constructing and maintaining three new in-situ coral nurseries with D. cylindrus fragments and by applying antibiotic treatments to D. cylindrus individuals that show signs of stony coral tissue loss disease, as well as to susceptible species in the immediate area surrounding D. cylindrus individuals. (NA22NMF4720101)	FY22: $265,984 FY23: $419,398 Total: $685,382

2021

Agency	Project	Federal Funding
Alaska Department of Fish and Game	Population Status of the Endangered Western Distinct Population Segment of Steller Sea Lions: Vital Rates and Population Distribution During an On-going Marine Heatwave in the Gulf of Alaska. From the central Gulf of Alaska (GOA) through northern Southeast Alaska, this project proposes to collect branded steller sea lion resighting data (and associated data: scats, entanglements) for vital rates and population distribution, and collect nuclear and mitochondrial DNA of pups to determine current stock distributions, including testing of a new remote biopsy technique to sample pups. This research will determine whether survival and/or pup production are currently declining in the eastern and central GOA, perhaps due to poor ocean conditions caused by a severe marine heatwave that began 6 years ago and is on-going. This is a joint proposal with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. (NA21NMF4720035)	FY21: $271,170 FY22: $278,677 FY23: $303,738 Total: $853,585
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Lands and Natural Resources	Green and Hawksbill Sea Turtle Population Management, Research, and Outreach in the Northern Mariana Islands, Western Pacific. The main goals of this project are to reduce poaching rates of nesting sea turtles, to explore the impacts of rising global temperatures on sea turtles in the Central West Pacific distinct population segment, and to increase knowledge of population abundance and poaching rates of green and hawksbill sea turtles. The objectives of this study are to develop a foundation for protection and conservation by raising awareness through educational outreach (including implementing a sea turtle education curriculum at CNMI elementary schools) and to conduct research and monitoring of nests to provide data needed to assess long-term population abundance and manage threats to sea turtles. (NA21NMF4720284)	FY21: $237,695 FY22: $256,743 FY23: $266,614 Total: $761,052
Maine Department of Marine Resources	Walton’s Mill Dam Removal Project. This project proposes to remove the only dam on Temple Stream, a tributary of the Sandy River located in the Kennebec River watershed in Maine’s western mountains. Removing this dam will restore access to 52.3 river miles and more than 2,247 units of spawning and rearing habitat for the critically endangered Atlantic salmon. Removal of the dam will eliminate a key threat to Atlantic salmon in the freshwater environment and address other habitat-related factors that are inhibiting the recovery of the species. (NA21NMF4720039)	FY21: $2,500 FY22: $299,000 FY23: $10,000 Total: $311,500
Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources	Strengthening recovery of the Nassau grouper* in Puerto Rico. This project will focus on implementing specific action plans for the management, monitoring and enforcement of the only known spawning aggregation in Puerto Rico. The project is designed to greatly expand on previous monitoring and identification of critical habitat for Nassau grouper while also identifying potential areas of larval settlement and nursery sites and better understanding habitat use by Nassau grouper through ontogeny. Knowledge gaps in the species biology will be addressed, aided by the incorporation of citizen scientists to report sightings of Nassau grouper and build a map of distribution by size class.. (NA21NMF4720286*)	FY21: $172,830 FY22: $158,812 FY23: $136,027 Total: $467,669
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources	Improving shortnose sturgeon* aging techniques via multi-approach evaluation of known-age specimens.* The project proposes to evaluate the novel approach of using minimally invasive aging techniques, such as the use of telomeres or near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), using multiple shortnose sturgeon structures to determine if reliable ages can be obtained. The project goal is to improve the availability of aging techniques using tissues from shortnose sturgeon of known ages. (NA21NMF4720037)	FY21: $41,265 FY22: $48,053 Total: $89,318
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife	Expanded information on large whales* off Washington, Oregon, and California, including photo-ID and systematic surveys, to address anthropogenic threats including entanglements and ship strikes.* This is a multi-agency proposal with the primary goal of conducting research, monitoring and whale disentanglement work needed to protect and manage endangered whales (blue, fin, and humpback whales), leatherback sea turtles, and Guadalupe fur seals. The proposal will contribute to state and federal abilities to: 1) assess population trends and abundance of blue, fin, and humpback whales through mark-recapture studies, 2) use photo and genetics marking to provide insights into the seasonal distribution and abundance various whale stocks off the west coast, 3) use the latest developments in hierarchical distance models to help us understand the factors influencing seasonal and annual changes in the abundance of whales and pinnipeds (identifying the factors influencing distribution and population trends is critical to achieving species recovery), 4) assess the overlap of listed whales and pinnipeds with coastal fisheries (e.g., Dungeness crab fisheries) and shipping, and 5) improve our ability to respond to entanglements in Washington State and beyond. (NA21NMF4720287)	FY21: $249,754 FY22: $249,887 FY23: $249,621 Total: $749,262
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife	Adaptively managing vessel regulations for Southern Resident Killer Whales. This project will support Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in achieving the desired reductions in noise and disturbance for Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) by supporting four critical and related management components: 1) SRKW policy lead and coordination; 2) cost share for Automatic Identification System (AIS) purchase and installation in commercial whale watch boats; 3) pre-season monitoring of individual SRKW health; and 4) evaluating the effectiveness of regulations to inform adaptive management. Additionally, this project will support continued critical coordination and prioritization of state activities within the broader landscape of SRKW conservation efforts. (NA21NMF4720285)	FY21: $214,602 FY22: $242,384 FY23: $242,384 Total: $699,370
Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources	Sustaining Sea Turtle* Stranding Response in Virginia.* This project aims to collect and maintain high quality stranding data for coastal Virginia waters. Specifically, this proposal supports a Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation sea turtle stranding response coordinator dedicated to overseeing the coordination of sea turtle stranding response and management of sea turtle data in Virginia, and the continuation of high quality human interaction and post-mortem examinations on stranded sea turtles. The information gathered through these efforts represent the only index of sea turtle mortality and morbidity available to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and other natural resources agencies charged with sea turtle conservation and recovery in Virginia. Moreover, the accurate documentation of potential causes of strandings helps to identify current and emerging threats to sea turtles. (NA21NMF4720038)	FY21: $38,085 FY22: $38,085 FY23: $38,085 Total: $114,255

2020

Agency	Project	Federal Funding
Alaska Department of Fish and Game	Investigating the diet, habitat use, and the impacts of anthropogenic noise on the foraging behavior of Cook Inlet Beluga Whales* (Delphinapterus leucas).* The project objectives include: (a) obtaining current information on year-round Cook Inlet beluga whale (CIB) foraging ecology and habitat use; (b) understanding how anthropogenic noise may directly alter foraging behavior using non-invasive tagging, and (c) developing a diet model based on isotopic signatures from CIB (teeth) and potential CIB prey. Field efforts within CIB critical habitat will: utilize passive acoustic monitoring in new areas that may be unidentified foraging areas, determine how noise influences foraging behavior, and collect prey from recently recognized feeding areas. (NA20NMF4720176)	FY20: $278,903 FY21: $432,174 FY22: $368,090 Total: $1,079,167
California Department of Fish and Wildlife	A Collaborative Stocking Program to Restore White Abalone* to Southern California.* The proposed work will focus on restoring wild populations through collaborative adaptive stocking of captive bred white abalone, and conducting white abalone monitoring and habitat assessments. The proposed work will help build a stocking program that continues to improve stocking strategies to ensure a successful restoration outcome. This next phase of releasing abalone into the wild will be conducted in coordination with NOAA Protected Resources and will leverage the strengths of all partner organizations to promote healthy self-sustaining wild populations. (NA20NMF4720177)	FY20: $217,738 FY21: $249,606 FY22: $249,372 Total: $716,716
Maine Department of Marine Resources	Field Testing Vertical Line Weak Points in the Lobster Fishery to Reduce Entanglements of Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. This project will create a collaboration between manufacturers and fishermen to design and test in-line weak links. Testing will include a large-scale field test with the lobster industry, as well as testing a sub-sample of weak links at the conclusion of the field trial for breaking strength. (NA20NMF4720178)	FY20: $75,080 Total: $75,080
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission	Demography and recruitment dynamics of Atlantic sturgeon* populations in North Carolina coastal rivers. This project proposes to sample major river systems in North Carolina to confirm the existence of spawning populations of Atlantic sturgeon, identify unique aspects of spawning behavior and population demographics within each river, estimate passage success rates of adults at the LD-1 fishway located within the Cape Fear River, and quantify juvenile (age-1) recruitment to establish methods to support an index of abundance. The project will also generate new genetic information that is vital to the accurate characterization of Atlantic sturgeon population structure. (NA20NMF4720180*)	FY20: $201,901 FY21: $192,881 FY22: $193,511 Total: $588,293
U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources	USVI Stony Coral* Tissue Loss Disease Response.* This project will support a staff position within the USVI Division of Coastal Zone Management who will be the lead locally, regionally and globally for USVI Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) response. The position will coordinate the already established Virgin Islands Coral Reef Advisory Group Coral Disease Advisory Committee, serve as the point of contact for regional working groups, manage a local coral disease Strike Team, and be responsible for all data management related to SCTLD spread, response, and restoration. For the USVI to effectively respond to this emerging threat, it is critical that a point person be hired to spearhead these efforts to save ESA-listed corals, and ultimately many other ESA and non-ESA listed marine species that rely on coral reefs to live, eat and reproduce. (NA20NMF4720179)	FY20: $75,178 FY21: $75,226 FY22: $75,274 Total: $225,678

2019

Agency	Project	Federal Funding
California Department of Fish and Wildlife	Recovery of a NOAA Spotlight Species: White abalone* restoration through collaborative captive breeding and stocking.* Project work will focus on further enhancing captive breeding and health maintenance aspects of the captive breeding program to increase production of white abalone for stocking. Restoration will be supported by optimizing growth and survival of stocked abalone, enhancing broodstock reproduction and bolstering critical early settlement success. Abalone health will be monitored in combination with targeted experiments to optimize health outcomes. (NA19NMF4720103)	FY19: $750,064 FY20: $730,528 FY21: $752,383 Total: $2,232,975
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control & Maryland Department of Natural Resources	Spawning movement behaviors, habitat dependencies and run size of Nanticoke River Atlantic sturgeon. This joint project will develop an approach combining telemetry and multi-beam sonar (ARIS: Adaptive Resolution Imaging Sonar) to estimate Atlantic sturgeon spawning run size in the Nanticoke River Estuary, which supports a newly discovered yet potentially critically endangered population within the Chesapeake Bay DPS. (NA19NMF4720105; NA19NMF4720101)	FY19: $296,071 FY20: $269,925 FY21: $272,354 Total: $838,350
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Support for Florida's Sea Turtle* Stranding and Salvage Network.* This project will provide support for coordinating the response to reports of stranded sea turtles throughout Florida. The funding will also maintain the infrastructure necessary for successful completion of enhanced Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network activities in Florida associated with Deepwater Horizon oil spill restoration projects. (NA19NMF4720098)	FY19: $95,156 FY20: $96,530 FY21: $96,530 Total: $288,216
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Connecting sawfish nurseries to adult habitats: Analysis of smalltooth sawfish* relative abundance, fine-scale ecology, and habitat use.* This project will conduct outreach, research, and monitoring that promotes recovery of the U.S. smalltooth sawfish population. Specifically, the project aims to: 1) maintain the ‘Sawfish Hotline’, 2) conduct standardized fishery-independent sampling in the two unique sawfish nurseries that exist in the Charlotte Harbor Estuary Unit of juvenile critical habitat, 3) use acoustic receiver arrays to monitor intra-nursery movements of small juveniles on multiple spatial scales, and 4) monitor the large-scale movements of all life stages state-wide using two acoustic data-sharing networks. (NA19NMF4720108)	FY19: $235,906 FY20: $216,717 FY21: $216,717 Total: $669,341
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Restoration of seven ESA listed coral* species using novel in-situ techniques.* This project will respond to the catastrophic decline of corals in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary through the establishment of two permanent in-situ coral nurseries and four pop-up nurseries, propagation of seven ESA-listed threatened coral species, transplantation of nursery-reared corals of these species onto six degraded reefs, and gene banking of representative genotypes of these corals. (NA19NMF4720106)	FY19: $233,906 FY20: $263,040 FY21: $269,710 Total: $766,656
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Prioritizing management efforts on Florida loggerhead sea turtles: carry-over effects and the relative importance of foraging areas. This project provides a tool for monitoring relative importance of Northwest Atlantic Ocean DPS loggerhead foraging areas. The objectives of the study are to: (1) monitor annual variation in the relative contribution of each foraging hotspot to the overall Florida nesting aggregation and to each management unit; (2) evaluate whether female foraging area location relates to reproductive output and (3) evaluate the temporal stability of the regional ‘isoscape’. (NA19NMF4720110)	FY19: $212,472 FY20: $213,339 FY21: $213,338 Total: $639,149
Georgia Department of Natural Resources & South Carolina Department of Natural Resources	Implementation of high priority recovery actions for the Northern Recovery Unit of loggerhead turtles including an assessment of population status and demographic rates using genetic capture-recapture. This joint project is the continuation of a long-term study designed to address critical recovery actions necessary to assess the status of Northern Recovery Unit of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean DPS of loggerhead turtles and estimate important demographic variables required for population modeling and prioritization of recovery actions. Objectives include: 1) estimating nesting female population size, clutch frequency and remigration intervals, 2) estimating adult female recruitment and survival, and 3) comparing phenology, nest site fidelity, clutch size, and clutch frequency of neophyte and remigrant females. The project will also assist with implementation of predator control on remote islands to improve loggerhead reproductive success. (NA19NMF4720099; NA19NMF4720112)	FY19: $386,011 FY20: $390,459 FY21: $398,673 Total: $1,175,143
Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources	Endangered Species Management: Understanding the health, threats, and status of the insular false killer whale population and other endangered species in Hawaii. This proposal will support the conservation and recovery of the Main Hawaiian Islands Insular DPS of false killer whales (FKW). Specifically, this project proposes to advance understanding of FKW health by conducting fieldwork focused on the collection of data and samples from live FKWs, by supporting stranding investigations for endangered whales, and by analyzing blubber samples (both existing and those to be collected through this effort) from stranded and live animals for quality and stress and reproductive hormones. Fieldwork will also focus on filling essential data gaps in the spatial distribution of the population and its individual clusters, interannual variability of movement patterns, and population abundance estimates. The outreach component of the project will increase awareness and knowledge of the FKW and other protected species among ocean users with an emphasis on gaining support for conservation efforts. (NA19NMF4720111)	FY19: $422,794 FY20: $437,458 FY21: $404,362 Total: $1,264,614
Maine Department of Marine Resources	Marine rearing of adult Atlantic salmon; a novel method to increase natural reproduction for species recovery. This project will develop a novel captive rearing program that allows adult Atlantic salmon reared in captivity to spawn naturally in the wild. The approach will be developed over a multi-year trial period and guided by an adaptive management framework matched with recovery goals. This project would stimulate recovery by allowing marine reared salmon to spawn in large numbers in high quality habitats, producing large numbers of wild origin naturally reared offspring, and increasing public awareness of adult Atlantic salmon in the wild. Integration of public outreach strategies will build a stronger constituency for salmon recovery. (NA19NMF4720100)	FY19: $169,138 FY20: $300,890 FY21: $322,336 Total: $792,364
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife	Identifying co-occurrence between whales* and fishing effort in Oregon to reduce entanglement risk. This project aims to improve the understanding of whale distribution patterns and population structure off Oregon and the U.S. west coast. Specifically, this project will collect whale distribution data in Oregon waters from monthly surveys, from which predictive species distribution models will be developed relative to environmental conditions. Vessel-based surveys will collect whale photo-id and tissue samples to describe population structure. Predictive maps of seasonal whale distribution off Oregon produced by the developed models will be overlaid with layers of fixed gear fishing effort to describe co-occurrence and identify areas of elevated entanglement risk, which managers could then use to spatially manage fishing effort more effectively. (NA19NMF4720109*)	FY19: $26,205 FY20: $131,025 FY21: $121,626 Total: $278,856
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources	Estimation of abundance for Age 1 and adult Atlantic sturgeon* in two rivers in the Carolina and Chesapeake Distinct Population Segments.* This study will provide valuable information for Atlantic sturgeon for two important life stages (age 1 and adult) in two states. Specifically, this project proposes to provide abundance estimates for rivers in the Carolina DPS (Winyah Bay System, SC) and Chesapeake Bay DPS (James River, VA). This will be accomplished by systematic gill netting targeting age 1 Atlantic sturgeon from spring to fall each year followed by targeting migrating adult Atlantic sturgeon with noninvasive side scan sonar sampling when spawning occurs, in the spring and fall. (NA19NMF4720102)	FY19: $297,488 FY20: $285,308 FY21: $268,866 Total: $851,662
U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources	Monitoring of natural and outplanted threatened acroporal corals* in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This project will monitor both natural and outplanted populations of the ESA-listed Acropora palmata* in the USVI. The project will build on existing capacities in the region, increase the impact and efficiency of nursery programs in the USVI, perform research into nursery outplanting methods, and support citizen science programs to engage community members in coral nursery operations. (NA19NMF4720104)	FY19: $254,396 FY20: $246,396 FY21: $246,396 Total: $747,188
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife	Protection, recovery and monitoring of endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales. This proposal addresses needed enforcement, compliance, and public awareness of federal and state regulations in Puget Sound to minimize disturbance of Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW), a NOAA Fisheries “Species in the Spotlight.” Activities to be funded by this proposal fall into three primary categories and are intended to fill critical monitoring and management gaps identified in the Recovery Plan. These are: 1) enhanced outreach and education, 2) prevention of adverse vessel effects through law enforcement presence, and 3) enhanced research, monitoring, and analysis of vessel activities near SRKWs. The ultimate benefit will be decreased negative impacts resulting from vessel behavior on SRKWs. (NA19NMF4720107)	FY19: $245,598 FY20: $239,263 FY21: $288,214 Total: $773,075

2018

Agency	Project	Federal Funding
Alaska Department of Fish and Game	Tracking adult female Steller sea lions in the Gulf of Alaska region of the western DPS to collect data on habitat use. The project will provide updated, fine-scale, understanding of foraging habitat and determine the environmental factors influencing the timing and location of foraging behavior, thus providing better information to meet management needs in a large portion of the endangered western DPS range. (NA18NMF4720088)	FY18: $183,341 FY19: $199,815 FY20: $60,423 Total: $443,579
California Department of Fish and Wildlife	Filling critical data gaps regarding early life stages of the southern DPS (sDPS) of green sturgeon in the Sacramento River watershed through the use of egg mat and larval sampling as well as acoustic telemetry. Specific objectives are to: 1) determine whether sDPS green sturgeon spawn in the Bear and Yuba rivers, and if so, determine the temporal, spatial, and habitat parameters associated with spanwing events, and 2) document spatial and temporal emigration patterns and rearing habitat preferences for juvenile sDPS green sturgeon in the Sacramento River, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and San Francisco Bay. (NA18NMF4720097)	FY18: $93,645 FY19: $102,897 FY20: $104,312 Total: $300,854
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection	Documenting critical spawning locations for shortnose sturgeon in the Connecticut River using acoustic telemetry and egg sampling, and assessing the fine-scale habitat use and spatial and temporal patterns associated with early juvenile nursery areas for the New York Bight DPS of Atlantic sturgeon in Long Island Sound and the Connecticut River, respectively. Data will provide information on the habitat requirements and life history characteristics for Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon that co-occur in the Connecticut River. (NA18NMF4720090)	FY18: $223,020 FY19: $162,900 FY20: $157,980 Total: $543,900
Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources	Enhancing the conservation and recovery of Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles, and hawksbill sea turtles in the Main Hawaiian Islands. The project has three main objectives: 1) compile information and coordinate with partners to draft an ESA conservation plan; 2) prepare, train, and respond to incidents of monk seal and sea turtle disturbance and/or take by working with NOAA and volunteer groups to develop strategies for their proactive management; and 3) engage fishing and local communities to document and mitigate interactions, encouraging reporting and explaining best practices to minimize monk seal-human and sea turtle-human interactions. (NA18NMF4720101)	FY18: $335,151 FY19: $377,617 FY20: $397,811 Total: $1,110,579
Maine Department of Marine Resources	Assessing vertical line use in the Gulf of Maine region fixed gear fisheries to improve the data used to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales. This project aims to 1) collect data on vertical line fishing practices throughout the Gulf of Maine, 2) determine the functional breaking strength of existing vertical lines, 3) document hauling loads experienced in the industry, and 4) develop a modeling tool that can be used to determine current industry vertical line usage and needs spatially, as well as predict the impacts, outcomes, and conservation benefits of proposed regulatory measures prior to implementation. (NA18NMF4720084)	FY18: $260,133 FY19: $251,406 FY20: $202,706 Total: $714,245
Maine Department of Marine Resources	Conducting an ecosystem-scale restoration project in Togus Stream, a tributary to the Kennebec River, to restore habitat for endangered Gulf of Maine Atlantic salmon and river herring. The project will involve Atlantic salmon egg planting at three locations in Togus Stream, installation of a fish way at Lower Togus Pond Dam, and removal of two small stone dams located downstream of Lower Togus Pond Dam. (NA18NMF4720087)	FY18: $2,500 FY19: $308,857 Total: $311,357
Maine Department of Marine Resources	Strengthening the methodology of hydraulically planting Atlantic salmon eggs to improve the efficacy of the Atlantic salmon conservation hatchery program. Data will be used to construct a GIS based tool to optimize stocking of egg planted Atlantic salmon by incorporating biotic and abiotic habitat characteristics in conjunction with dispersal patterns. (NA18NMF4720099)	FY18: $29,670 FY19: $40,429 FY20: $29,164 Total: $99,263
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks	Estimating juvenile recruitment and effective number of breeding adults of Gulf Sturgeon in the Pascagoula River and quantifying spawning habitat use through mark-recapture models, molecular techniques, and acoustic telemetry. Data will provide managers with baseline estimates of a recovery population after a potentially drastic decline and information on the population source of gulf sturgeon and use of the only known spawning site. (NA18NMF4720096)	FY18: $157,250 FY19: $149,243 FY20: $152,203 Total: $458,696
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife	Supporting efforts to understand the distribution, movement, and habitat utilization of Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon by maintaining acoustic receivers in New Jersey waters of Delaware Bay. Data collected will allow managers to better understand the importance of the bay as a migratory pathway for these species and inform conservation measures focused on Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon. (NA18NMF4720085)	FY18: $29,115 FY19: $29,115 FY20: $29,115 Total: $87,345
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife	Cooperative adoption of LED fishing lights in the U.S. West Coast Ocean Shrimp Fishery to reduce threatened eulachon bycatch rates. By creating and providing educational items (a brochure on LED use and effectiveness and a bycatch identification guide) and tools (LED fishing lights) for bycatch reduction, this project will build understanding and ease the ocean shrimp fishery into a management change which has a permanent threat reduction to eulachon. (NA18NMF4720098)	FY18: $153,715 Total: $153,715
Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources	Assessing hurricane damage to resident marine turtle aggregations (for hawksbill and green turtles) and conducting in-water sea turtle surveys and analyses of population dynamics for important foraging areas in Puerto Rican coastal waters. Existing information from previous in-water surveys will be used as a baseline against which measurements of hurricane impacts can be performed. (NA18NMF4720095)	FY18: $59,580 FY19: $55,080 FY20: $55,080 Total: $169,740
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries	Maintaining high quality sea turtle stranding data for coastal Virginia waters and improving volunteer and cooperator support. Areas to be targeted include the northwestern Chesapeake Bay shoreline and portions of the Eastern Shore that currently have limited cooperator coverage. Additionally, continuing human interaction and post-mortem examinations on stranded sea turtles to determine probable causes of strandings. (NA18NMF4720089)	FY18: $35,000 FY19: $35,000 FY20: $35,000 Total: $105,000
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife	Evaluating increased human interactions with blue, fin, and humpback whales off the West Coast, specifically ship strikes and entanglements in fishing gear. Specific objectives include completing small boat surveys of coastal and select offshore waters of Washington, Oregon, and California; conducting genetic testing to examine association with specific breeding areas; expanding the current citizen science program with whale watch operations; collecting photo identification data of blue, fin and humpback whales to provide abundance estimates and track movements; and deploying newly developed GPS tags on whales in areas of high conflict with human activities to examine fine scale movement and behavior for insights into sources and solutions to conflicts. (NA18NMF4720100)	FY18: $236,735 FY19: $242,010 FY20: $247,549 Total: $726,294

2017

Agency	Project	Federal Funding
Alaska Department of Fish and Game	Enhancing and strengthening Cook Inlet beluga (CIB) whale conservation and management strategies by: obtaining current information on year-round CIB spatial foraging ecology and habitat use and evaluating how those life-history characteristics may have changed over the last ~50 years; (b) obtaining information on how disturbance from anthropogenic noise may cause spatial displacement of CIBs (including from important foraging areas) and a reduction in foraging behavior; and (c) assessing how growth layer groups in teeth may provide information on how CIB growth and body condition may have changed over the last ~50 years. (NA17NMF4720071)	FY17: $273,226 FY18: $391,151 FY19: $186,264 Total: $850,641
Alaska Department of Fish and Game	Strengthening estimation of Cook Inlet beluga (CIB) whale vital rates (reproduction and survival) by developing an individual-based population model using available individual-level data from four sources: 1) photo-identification, 2) necropsies of beach-cast carcasses, 3) satellite tagging data, and 4) Bristol Bay beluga DNA. This work will help address the gaps in current understanding in basic CIB biology and ultimately help determine what factors are preventing recovery of this endangered population. (NA17NMF4720051)	FY17: $152,368 FY18: $131,169 FY19: $126,265 Total: $414,742
Georgia Department of Natural Resources	Developing, evaluating, and implementing a practical and reliable methodology for quantifying adult spawning runs of Atlantic sturgeon in Georgia and other coastal rivers. Side-scan sonar and acoustic telemetry will be used in combination to quantify the annual spawning runs in the Altamaha River. Secondary objectives include the documentation, description, and mapping of specific spawning habitats in upper Altamaha system, including both the Oconee and Ocmulgee tributaries where putative spawning runs have only recently been identified. (NA17NMF4720066)	FY17: $179,710 FY18: $196,601 FY19: $200,024 Total: $576,335
Guam Department of Agriculture	Addressing concerns related to the low population abundance of green sea turtles of Guam and lack of long-term data by supporting 1) in-water foraging population research, 2) nesting population research, 3) volunteer program (Haggan Watch), and 4) collaboration with partners and stakeholders. The project will gather information on abundance, demography, threats, and trends of green sea turtle populations. (NA17NMF4720050)	FY17: $138,472 FY18: $136,542 FY19: $139,728 Total: $414,742
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries	Mitigating threats to North Atlantic right whales and supporting the Massachusetts Large Whale Conservation Program. The distribution of the right whales in Massachusetts (primarily Cape Cod Bay) will be determined using the systematic aerial and shipboard surveys, and near-real-time distribution data will be provided to inform warnings disseminated to ships and media outlets by Federal and State agencies. Entangled whales will also be identified to support directed disentanglement efforts. (NA17NMF4720067)	FY17: $267,567 Total: $267,567

2016

Agency	Project	Federal Funding
Alaska Department of Fish and Game	Monitoring the health and population status of ringed seals. The study will continue the collection of data on diet, body condition, age at first reproduction, contaminants, and disease - providing the only long-term biological data available for ringed seals in Alaska. These data will contribute to our understanding of how ringed seals are responding to changes in the environment, the effect those responses may have on the populations, and how long it may take to see population level effects. (NA16NMF4720079)	FY16: $344,516 FY17: $343,834 FY18: $352,405 Total: $1,040,755
Alaska Department of Fish and Game	Surveying households within native communities to document and report ringed and bearded seal harvest levels in the Bering and Chukchi Seas. The surveyed communities represent areas where few data exist. This project addresses critical data gaps by documenting and reporting the current subsistence harvest and will allow for comparisons if changes in sea ice or other factors affect the availability of ice seals to subsistence hunters. (NA16NMF4720075)	FY16: $82,500 FY17: $82,500 FY18: $82,500 Total: $247,500
California Department of Fish and Wildlife	Continuing captive breeding and conducting experiments to determine how to increase production of white abalone offspring. Habitat assessments, experimental stocking with red abalone, and subsequent modeling will be completed to evaluate optimal habitats for future white abalone stocking. Health and genetic assessments of captive stock will be completed and education and outreach programs will be continued. (NA16NMF4720066)	FY16: $847,811 FY17: $1,204,372 FY18: $1,210,437 Total: $3,262,620
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Lands and Natural Resources	Reducing illegal harvest of green and hawksbill turtles. Specific objectives are to 1) develop a hotline for reporting stranding and poaching incidents; and 2) develop public service announcements and an elementary school education curriculum to help reduce poaching of sea turtles. (NA16NMF4720068)	FY16: $65,202 FY17: $95,562 FY18: $87,848 Total: $248,612
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control	Assessing Atlantic sturgeon spawning success and year class strength in the Delaware River. Funding will support sampling for river-resident juveniles (age 0-2), maintenance of a large-scale passive acoustic array, and data sharing with other researchers through the Atlantic Coastal Telemetry network. (NA16NMF4720072)	FY16: $80,028 FY17: $123,261 FY18: $70,788 Total: $274,077
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Mapping surface pelagic habitats of juvenile green, hawksbill, loggerhead, and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico to support management decisions. Sea turtle behavior and habitat associations will be recorded, and morphometric and diet information will be collected for opportunistically captured turtles. A subsample of turtles would be outfitted with miniature satellite tags to record post-release movements and habitat use. (NA16NMF4720073)	FY16: $142,099 FY17: $195,877 FY18: $153,259 Total: $491,235
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Coordinating the response to reports of stranded green, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles throughout Florida. Funding will also support transporting live turtles to rehabilitation facilities; conducting necropsies of sea turtles; updating the NMFS on-line stranding database; maintaining a real-time assessment of numbers of stranded sea turtles by county in Florida; providing training and guidance for stranding network participants in Florida; and assessing sea turtle mortality and mortality factors in Florida. (NA16NMF4720064)	FY16: $39,288 FY17: $39,353 FY18: $43,295 Total: $121,936
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Identify foraging hotspots and inter-annual contribution of foraging areas to the Florida nesting aggregation of loggerhead sea turtles. Seven genetically distinct management units in Florida will be sampled, and using stable isotope analysis, researchers will infer the associated female foraging areas. The results of this work help identify foraging hotspots, examine hotspot dynamics, and assess potential threats occurring at foraging areas. (NA16NMF4720077)	FY16: $92,816 FY17: $62,255 FY18: $64,025 Total: $219,096
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Monitoring trends in residency, abundance, and other population parameters of loggerheads and green sea turtles in Florida Bay, which is an established in-water sea turtle index site. Results will provide information needed to determine progress on meeting recovery objectives for loggerheads and to guide future recovery efforts. (NA16NMF4720063)	FY16: $32,934 FY17: $33,595 FY18: $37,117 Total: $103,646
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Tracking juvenile smalltooth sawfish in acoustic arrays targeting known nursery “hotspots” within the Charlotte Harbor Estuary portion of critical habitat. The goals of the work are to define the boundaries of these hotspots and determine fine-scale habitat use within the hotspots (e.g., diel movement patterns and use of habitats features, such as mangroves and oyster reefs). (NA16NMF4720062)	FY16: $198,913 FY17: $198,913 FY18: $198,913 Total: $596,739
Georgia Department of Natural Resources	Evaluating the status of the Northern Recovery Unit of the threatened Northwest Atlantic Ocean distinct population segment of loggerhead sea turtles. Objectives include estimating loggerhead nesting female population size, clutch frequency, and remigration intervals; estimating adult female annual survival and recruitment and comparing estimated survival of females utilizing the three known major foraging areas used by females; and evaluating the effects of female foraging area choice on nesting phenology, clutch size, clutch frequency, and remigration interval. (Joint project with South Carolina) (NA16NMF4720076)	FY16: $503,109 FY17: $502,910 FY18: $511,028 Total: $1,517,047
Maine Department of Marine Resources	Characterizing the system-wide migratory and survival pattern of Atlantic salmon smolts in the Penobscot River. The study will also characterize the specific behavioral patterns of upstream migrating adult Atlantic salmon near Milford Dam using radio telemetry in order to understand the current low passage efficiency at this dam. This work is central to ensuring effective passage of Atlantic salmon to and from spawning habitat. (NA16NMF4720065)	FY16: $158,688 FY17: $124,739 FY18: $124,739 Total: $408,166
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries	Studying leatherback sea turtle behavior in fishing-gear dense habitat off Cape Cod. Results of this work will provide critical animal behavior and habitat data needed to develop effective gear solutions to address the significant leatherback entanglement issue occurring in Massachusetts. (NA16NMF4720074)	FY16: $240,398 Total: $240,398
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources	Evaluating the status of the Northern Recovery Unit of the threatened Northwest Atlantic Ocean distinct population segment of loggerhead sea turtles. Objectives include estimating loggerhead nesting female population size, clutch frequency, and remigration intervals; estimating adult female annual survival and recruitment and comparing estimated survival of females utilizing the three known major foraging areas used by females; and evaluating the effects of female foraging area choice on nesting phenology, clutch size, clutch frequency, and remigration interval. (Joint project with Georgia) (NA16NMF4720071)	FY16: $57,902 FY17: $58,743 FY18: $59,608 Total: $176,253
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries	Locating and characterizing important habitats for Atlantic sturgeon (reproductive, nursery and forage habitats) within multiple Chesapeake Bay river systems and assessing habitat connectivity by sampling additional river reaches that may support Atlantic sturgeon populations (e.g., Rappahannock River). Data collected will inform state and federal management efforts for various life history stages. (NA16NMF4720067)	FY16: $356,763 FY17: $365,590 FY18: $378,666 Total: $1,101,019
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife	Minimizing disturbance of Southern Resident killer whales in Puget Sound by expanding outreach and education efforts, analyzing vessel interactions, and improving whale-watching guidelines. The goals of this work are to increase public awareness and compliance with Federal and State regulations, and ultimately, to decrease negative impacts from vessels on these endangered killer whales. (NA16NMF4720078)	FY16: $326,983 FY17: $284,250 FY18: $253,240 Total: $864,473
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife	Evaluating increased human interactions with humpback whales off the West Coast, specifically ship strikes and entanglements in Dungeness crab gear. Specific objectives include completing small boat surveys of coastal waters of Washington, Oregon, and California; conducting genetic testing to examine association with specific breeding areas; expanding the current citizen science program with whale watch operations; collecting photo identification data on humpback whales to track movements from breeding areas; expanding training for large whale disentanglement in coordination with NMFS; and deploying newly developed GPS tags on whales in areas of high conflict with human activities to examine fine scale movement and behavior for insights into sources and solutions to conflicts. (NA16NMF4720061)	FY16: $207,606 FY17: $210,159 FY18: $208,511 Total: $626,276

2015

Agency	Project	Federal Funding
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Developing and validating a rapid field method for determining sex in juvenile Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi), Atlantic Sturgeon (A. oxyrinchus oxyrinchus), and Shortnose Sturgeon (A. brevirostrum) using a blood serum marker. Once completed, this tool will provide an inexpensive, non-invasive tool for sturgeon researchers and will ultimately improve understanding of the population demographics of these species. (NA15NMF4720018)	FY15: $199,608 FY16: $192,370 FY17: $197,315 Total: $589,293
Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources	Strengthening efforts to minimize and mitigate the incidental take of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) through field work, spatial and temporal analysis of the overlap between fisheries and false killer whale habitat, stranding response support, and targeted outreach efforts. The project will aid in recovery planning for the false killer whales, fill essential data gaps for the False Killer Whale Take Reduction Team, and support both NMFS and state efforts to manage listed cetaceans in Hawaii. (NA15NMF4720015)	FY15: $340,800 FY16: $569,114 FY17: $258,762 Total: $1,168,676
Maryland Department of Natural Resources	Assessing threats to Atlantic sturgeon (A. oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) reproduction in the Nanticoke Estuary through tagging and monitoring, demographic evaluation, habitat mapping, environmental quality monitoring, and egg sampling. This work will contribute to ongoing assessments of key habitats and threats. (NA15NMF4720017)	FY15: $145,760 FY16: $122,309 FY17: $119,464 Total: $387,533
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife	Supporting efforts to understand the distribution, movement, and habitat utilization of juvenile Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon (A. oxyrinchus oxyrinchus and A. brevirostrum) by maintaining receiver arrays in the Delaware Bay. Data collected will allow managers to better understand the importance of the bay as a migratory pathway for these species and to attempt to minimize incidental take in New Jersey fisheries. (NA15NMF4720019)	FY15: $61,134 FY16: $47,824 FY17: $36,405 Total: $145,363

2014

Agency	Project	Federal Funding
Georgia Department of Natural Resources	Qualifying annual recruitment, evaluating genetic "discreteness" and comparing nursery habitats of Atlantic sturgeon in Georgia's Ogeechee, Satilla, and Altamaha rivers to inform managers and scientists about the health of Atlantic sturgeon populations. (NA14NMF4720012)	FY14: $107,660 FY15: $196,907 FY16: $197,308 Total: $501,875
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife	Studies of eulachon in OR and WA to track coast-wide status and trends of abundance, as well as geographic distribution, of the southern DPS of eulachon. Information gathered will guide federal, state, and local resource management, habitat protection and species recovery efforts. (NA14NMF4720009; NA14NMF4720011)	FY14: $209,967 FY15: $212,673 FY16: $216,686 Total: $639,326
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife	Program for derelict fishing gear reporting, response, and retrieval to prevent re-accumulation of derelict fishing gear in rockfish habitat throughout Puget Sound. (NA14NMF4720010)	FY14: $25,670 FY15: $67,036 FY16: $66,349 Total: $159,055

Agency

Project

Federal Funding

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Qualifying annual recruitment, evaluating genetic "discreteness" and comparing nursery habitats of Atlantic sturgeon in Georgia's Ogeechee, Satilla, and Altamaha rivers to inform managers and scientists about the health of Atlantic sturgeon populations. (NA14NMF4720012)

FY14: $107,660

FY15: $196,907

FY16: $197,308

Total: $501,875

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Studies of eulachon in OR and WA to track coast-wide status and trends of abundance, as well as geographic distribution, of the southern DPS of eulachon. Information gathered will guide federal, state, and local resource management, habitat protection and species recovery efforts. (NA14NMF4720009; NA14NMF4720011)

FY14: $209,967

FY15: $212,673

FY16: $216,686

Total:
$639,326

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Program for derelict fishing gear reporting, response, and retrieval to prevent re-accumulation of derelict fishing gear in rockfish habitat throughout Puget Sound. (NA14NMF4720010)

FY14: $25,670

FY15: $67,036

FY16: $66,349

Total: $159,055

2013

Agency	Project	Federal Funding
Alaska Department of Fish and Game	Identifying the level and prevalence of mercury and organochlorine contamination in the endangered western Steller sea lion population to assess potential links between continued declines and anthropogenic contaminant sources. (NA13NMF4720041)	FY13: $527,810 FY14: $527,274 FY15: $330,326 Total: $1,385,410
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Expanding research and conservation efforts benefiting all five species of sea turtles occurring in Florida’s waters: loggerheads (Caretta caretta), hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricata), green turtles (Chelonia mydas), Kemp’s ridleys (Lepidochelys kempii), and leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea). (NA13NMF4720046)	FY13: $248,855 FY14: $304,754 FY15: $269,106 Total: $822,715
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Collecting data on fine-scale habitat use by juvenile smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) and their responses to varying freshwater inflow. Data will inform management decisions regarding minimum flows and levels for rivers, maximum discharge regulations from Lake Okeechobee, dissolved oxygen criteria, hardened shoreline criteria, and oyster restoration strategies. (NA13NMF4720047)	FY13: $201,594 FY14: $210,895 FY15: $201,895 Total: $605,384
Georgia Department of Natural Resources & South Carolina Department of Natural Resources	Supporting a multi-state genetic mark-recapture project for loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) to estimate population size of nesting females annually and assess population status, characterize threats, and develop management strategies to assist the recovery of loggerhead sea turtles. (NA13NMF4720040; NA13NMF4720038)	FY13: $504,280 FY14: $539,318 FY15: $580,364 Total: $1,623,962
Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources	Preventing and documenting incidents of Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) and green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) disturbance by beach-goers and other ocean users; improving public support, understanding, and participation in "seal friendly" and "turtle friendly" practices; designing and conducting a pilot, shoreline, recreational fishery observer program; and drafting a joint State-Federal Hawaiian green turtle population assessment and monitoring protocol. (NA13NMF4720036)	FY13: $22,000 FY14: $466,182 FY15: $476,261 Total: $964,443
Maine Department of Marine Resources	Supporting the removal of the first migratory barrier on the Penobscot River, the Veazie Dam, to open 100% of the historic habitat for endangered shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) and threatened Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) as well as help restore 11 species of sea-going fishes, including endangered Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). (NA13NMF4720039)	FY13: $548,304 FY14: $479,449 Total: $1,027,754
Maryland Department of Marine Resources & Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries	Pursuing a series of research objectives to improve understanding of habitat use by both sub-adult and juvenile Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) within the Chesapeake Bay, involving bay-wide collaboration with the state agencies, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Navy. (NA13NMF4720042; NA13NMF4720037)	FY13: $455,204 FY14: $711,138 FY15: $585,095 Total: $1,751,437
Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources	Conducting in-water sea turtle surveys and analyses of hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and green turtle (Chelonia mydas) population dynamics for important foraging areas in Puerto Rican coastal waters to inform implementation of recovery plans. (NA13NMF4720048)	FY13: $63,400 FY14: $59,730 FY15: $64,455 Total: $187,585
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources	Monitoring the temporal and spatial distribution of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) to fill data gaps regarding use of important shelf habitat by this species in U.S. territorial waters off South Carolina and Georgia. (NA13NMF4720045)	FY13: $316,495 FY14: $250,740 FY15: $257,940 Total: $825,175
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources	Examining the genetic relationship of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) in North and South Carolina river systems. There is currently a lack of sufficient data to resolve the relationships among these two river systems, calculate effective population size, and evaluate the current genetic health, stability, and adaptive potential of these Atlantic sturgeon populations. (NA13NMF4720044)	FY13: $107,663 FY14: $90,469 Total: $198,132
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife	Strengthening southern resident killer whale (Orcinus orca) protection by conducting public outreach and education, proactive law enforcement, vessel monitoring, and statistical evaluation of the effectiveness of the new vessel regulations. (NA13NMF4720043)	FY13: $402,829 FY14: $261,066 FY15: $261,066 Total: $924,961