NOAA Launches 2008-2009 National Marine Aquaculture Competition

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced an open competition for up to $8 million in competitive grants in 2008-2009 through the National Marine Aquaculture Initiative. The grants will be awarded to demonstration projects and research to develop sustainable marine aquaculture in the United States. The deadline for preliminary proposals is October 18, 2007. The deadline for full proposals is January 24, 2008. Institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, commercial organizations, Federal, State, local and Indian tribal governments, and individuals are eligible to apply.  

Coordinated by the NOAA Aquaculture Program and NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, the 2008-2009 competition will consider aquaculture research and demonstration projects in near shore, open water, or terrestrial environments across a range of scientific disciplines. NOAA will fund individual projects ranging from approximately $200,000 to $1,000,000 for a two year period. It is anticipated that the agency will make approximately 20 awards, including up to four pilot-scale demonstration projects at or near the $1,000,000 level, and the remainder of projects at or about the $200,000 level. 

2008 National Marine Aquaculture Initiative Funding Priorities

• Site-specific commercial/pilot scale demonstration projects to establish technical and economic feasibility with special emphasis on hatchery development, land based, near shore and offshore production systems;
• Studies to assess environmental impacts of current marine aquaculture production systems and species including fish and shellfish;
• Nutrition research involving alternative protein based diets and influence of diet on product quality;
• Development of environmental models and Geographical Information System (GIS) tools to aid site selection for new facilities;
• Development of disease diagnostics and controls;
• Development of hands-on training programs in marine hatchery operations and management; and
• Development of synthesis research papers for the following topics: Environmental impacts of marine production systems; alternative protein feeds and potential impacts; disease transmission from aquaculture to wild stocks and vice versa, and status of ecologically acceptable treatments and preventives; and genetic technologies and environmental risk analysis.

To view the full announcement, including specifics on eligibility and the process for proposals, go to the Federal Register at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html and search on “NOAA Aquaculture Grant Funds”.

For questions regarding the 2008 competition, contact Dr. Andy Lazur by e-mail, Andy.Lazur@noaa.gov.

For more information on the NOAA Aquaculture Program, including profiles of the 2006 National Marine Aquaculture Initiative awards, go to: www.aquaculture.noaa.gov.