NOAA fisheries is accepting applications for its 2017 Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program.
High-priority areas for 2017 projects include:
- Developing innovative and effective technologies, gear modifications, avoidance programs, and/or improved fishing practices in commercial and recreational fisheries to reduce bycatch impacts. Proposals that specifically reduce impacts to highly migratory species and several other fisheries, protected resources, and fish stocks as listed in the full announcement are encouraged.
- Improved understanding and reduction of post-release and other indirect mortality, including barotrauma, predation, and unaccounted mortality associated with commercial and recreational fisheries including target and non-target species. Proposals addressing this priority may, but are not limited to, projects that specifically test descending devices to increase functionality and ease of use, as well as proposals that identify high priority release and discard mortality needs and provide baseline information (e.g., depth of capture, effects of air exposure, gear type, temperature) for important discarded species (in particular, but not limited to red snapper, Atlantic cod, striped marlin, etc.).
- Developing techniques to reduce interactions, between fishing gears and corals, sponges, and other structure-forming invertebrates.
- Conducting comprehensive international bycatch analyses or research which will inform conservation engineering in U.S. fisheries.
Pre-proposals are due by February 10 with full applications due by March 31, 2017.
For more information, visit: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/fisheries_eco/bycatch/brep.html.
source: NOAA Fisheries – Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Management Division