New Hampshire

Androscoggin River Watershed Council
Removing Barriers to Fish Passage in Three Priority Headwater Streams to Benefit Brook Trout (NH)
Restore aquatic organism passage in the Stearns Brook subwatershed of northeast New Hampshire by removal of barriers to passage for eastern brook trout in three high-quality headwater streams, Clay Brook, the South Branch of Stearns Brook and Alder Brook. Project will replace three undersized culverts with bridges, reconnecting  6 miles of critical upstream cold water habitat in an area which is targeted as a priority by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.
$135,020

Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance
Pre-Implementation of Electronic Monitoring in New England’s Groundfish Fishery (MA, ME, NH, RI)
Advance electronic monitoring in New England’s groundfish fishery by continuing operation of a successful pilot project and working with stakeholders to clarify standards and needs related to the technology. Project will engage 35 vessels to finalize electronic monitoring standards and ensure that data is effectively stored, shared, and used by regional stock assessment scientists and other data end users.
$524,586

Connecticut River Watershed Council
Implementing an Innovative Approach to Restore Forests on Upper Connecticut River (NH, VT)
Restore healthy riparian forests and floodplains in tributaries of the Upper Connecticut River in New Hampshire and Vermont that provide important habitat for freshwater mussels, fish, birds and pollinators. Project will implement an innovative, 10 acre floodplain restoration from an old hay field and restore 3 miles of riparian forest to improve water quality and benefit native brook trout, wood turtle, rusty blackbird and other aquatic and riparian species.
$174,214

Connecticut River Watershed Council
Restoring Riverbanks to Reduce Nitrogen (NH)
Install bioengineered streambank stabilization and riparian restoration projects in Coos and Cheshire counties, New Hampshire. Project will eliminate 80 pounds of nitrogen annually flowing into the Connecticut River downstream to Long Island Sound.
$280,769

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County
Implementing a Bycatch Avoidance Communication Network (MA, NH, NJ, NY, RI)
Expand the Bycatch Avoidance Communication Network to identify and report real-time bycatch of nine species, helping to avoid the implementation of restrictive management measures associated with this bycatch. Project will enhance the network by improving daily reporting rates, recruiting additional vessels to the network, and conducting five at-sea observer days to facilitate proper reporting.
$57,621

Greater Lovell Land Trust
Developing a Watershed Management Plan for the Upper Saco River to Improve Water Quality (NH)
Develop a watershed-based management plan for Kearsarge Brook in the Saco River that will outline strategies to protect source water and address water quality impairment identified by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Project will result in a community-supported and data-driven plan that meets the criteria for Natural Resource Conservation Service National Water Quality Initiative standards and the Environmental Protection Agency Clean Water Act Section 319 program requirements.
$115,206

Gulf of Maine Research Institute
Scaling Maximized Retention Electronic Monitoring in the Northeast Groundfish Fishery (MA, ME, NH, RI)
Expand the Maximized Retention Electronic Monitoring program by adding three to four vessels to the electronic monitoring fleet and refining in person dockside monitoring.  Project will conduct outreach to vessels, assess the economic impacts of this programs previous years for fishermen, and continue review of collected electronic monitoring data.
$405,000

Integrated Monitoring
Implementing Wireless Electronic Monitoring and Reporting Tools in New England (MA, ME,NH, RI)
Expand broadband, wireless electronic reporting to high volume fishing vessels in New England, including  ground fish vessels, limited access scallop vessels, and charter vessels. Project will demonstrate the scalability and transferability of wireless electronic monitoring technology and electronic reporting using broadband vessel monitoring system.
$229,530

Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association
Piloting Electronic Monitoring in the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Fleet (ME)
Develop an electronic monitoring program for the northern Gulf of Maine scallop fleet to test the feasibility of electronic monitoring on small scallop vessels. Project will test the use of video recognition software for review, expand existing data collection to the Maine state water’s fishery, and refine protocols for electronic monitoring in scallop fisheries.
$95,811

New England Marine Monitoring
Integrating Artificial Intelligence Algorithms to Strengthen Electronic Monitoring (MA, ME, NH, RI)
Integrate existing artificial intelligence algorithms into electronic monitoring review, transmission, and storage workflows to reduce program costs. Project will advance the artificial intelligence used in the New England Groundfish electronic monitoring fisheries to automate catch accounting and streamline data storage thus addressing management priorities.
$241,109

New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
Annual Coastal Lobster Trap Cleanup (NH)
Collect and recycle or convert to energy derelict lobster traps through an annual collection event in partnership with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, commercial harvesters, municipalities, and volunteers. Project will recycle or convert to energy 30 tons of lobster traps, utilizing disposal bins at Rye and Hampton Harbors.
$4,995

New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
Gear Collection in Seabrook (NH)
Provide a reliable and cost-free solution for the disposal of damaged and derelict fishing gear to benefit coastal waterways, recreational parks, and marine habitats. Project will recycle or convert to energy 30 tons of fishing gear, primarily consisting of metal lobster traps, and distribute educational materials to the local fishing community to encourage participation.
$9,999

Rich Earth Institute
Deploying a Nitrogen Reclamation Project in the Long Island Sound Watershed — III (VT)
Enhance the deployment of nitrogen reclamation technology in Windham County, Vermont, Franklin County, Massachusetts and Cheshire County, New Hampshire. Project will divert 150 pounds of nitrogen annually from entering the Connecticut River and downstream to Long Island Sound.
$96,734

The Nature Conservancy
Forest Management Practices (NH)
Develop and implement a collaborative forest management decision support tool for creating forest and riparian habitat management plans. Project will create at least four forest management plans and two demonstration sites to implement forest management practices on blocks larger than 10,000 acres and improve management on 150 acres to benefit forest birds, including wood thrush and American woodcock.
$165,218

Town of Hampton 
Site Assessment and Preliminary Designs to Mitigate Flooding in Hampton (NH)
Conduct a site assessment of chronic high tide and episodic coastal storm-based flooding in barrier beach neighborhoods along the harbor-side of the Hampton-Seabrook Estuary. Project will provide conceptual recommendations for flood mitigation strategies and select high-priority strategies to restore natural hydrology and improve estuarine salt marsh habitat.
$185,800

Wildlife Management Institute
Enhancing Forest Habitat for New England Cottontails, Golden-Winged Warbler and American Woodcock (multiple states)
Enhance participation in Farm Bill programs by supporting habitat biologists and outreach specialists to interface with private landowners to provide young forest habitat for more than 50 Species of Conservation Need in New England. Project will develop forest management plans that utilize existing Best Management Practices, develop healthy diverse forest age classes, and protect riparian habitat values, improving management on 200 acres.
$156,290