2024 Sea Scallop Research Set Aside

NMFS, in coordination with the New England Fishery Management Council (Council), is soliciting proposals under the Sea Scallop Research Set Aside (RSA) Program. Projects funded under the Scallop RSA Program must enhance the knowledge of the scallop fishery resource or contribute to the body of information on which scallop management decisions are made. Priority will be given to proposals that investigate research priorities developed by the Council, which are detailed under the Program Priorities section of this announcement. Successful applicants will be awarded scallop RSA quota. No federal funds are provided for research under this notification. Rather, proceeds generated from the sale of RSA quota will be used to fund approved activities and compensate scallop vessel owners. New Program Requirements and Updates: NMFS is accepting proposals to perform regional research surveys of the scallop resource for up to 4-years (Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, Mid-Atlantic). Multi-year applications must describe the research needs for each year of the proposed project period, and demonstrate a multi-year award is in alignment with RSA program priorities. This change focuses on only one part of the RSA survey priority – regional surveys – and does not apply to discrete fine-scale, high-resolution surveys or other RSA priorities that may have a one- or two-year award period. Surveys would largely be supported through the sale of scallops that have been set aside from the year in which the survey is conducted.
Categories: Environment, Agriculture, Science and Technology and other Research and Development, Natural Resources.