NFWF Announces $3.35 Million in Grants to Support Sustainable Fisheries in the U.S.

Washington, D.C. (September 14, 2016) — The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced the second round of grant awards from its Electronic Monitoring and Reporting (EMR) Grant Program, a program launched in 2015 to catalyze the implementation of electronic technologies in U.S. fisheries. The grants announced today will continue to advance regional-scale implementation of electronic monitoring and reporting solutions in both commercial and recreational fisheries throughout the country.

The goal of the EMR Grant Program is to integrate electronic technologies into fisheries management to improve the quality, accuracy and timeliness of fisheries data. The 10 grants for 2016 total more than $3.35 million, and will be matched by nearly $3.23 million in additional support from the grantees, for a total conservation impact of more than $6.58 million. NFWF’s EMR Grant Program is supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and this year welcomes a new funder, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

“Working with fishermen across the country, the grants we announce today will continue to promote the adoption of effective electronic technologies that will improve data collection and help to support sustainable fisheries nationwide,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF.

The grants will support conservation work in 10 states: Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Texas and Washington. Project examples include the expansion and implementation of electronic monitoring strategies in the Gulf of Mexico’s for-hire fleet. Other projects will outfit fishermen with resources and equipment needed to advance electronic monitoring in the New England groundfish fishery.

“We’ve seen increasing demand for more data to support sustainable fisheries,” said Eileen Sobeck, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “Implementing projects with camera systems and other monitoring and reporting technology can supplement human observers and help us build efficiencies while meeting our information needs.”

A complete list of the 2016 EMR Grant Program grants, by region, can be found here. This is the second of two announcements for the Fisheries Innovation Fund; separate awards under the Fisheries Innovation Fund were announced in July and can be viewed here.

About NFWF

Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 4,500 organizations and committed more than $3.5 billion to conservation projects. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.

About NOAA

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Facebook, Twitter and our other social media channels at http://www.noaa.gov/socialmedia.

About the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation fosters path-breaking scientific discovery, environmental conservation, patient care improvements and preservation of the special character of the Bay Area. Visit www.moore.org or follow @MooreFound.