Florida Sea Grant is now seeking proposals for the 2018 Ocean, Coastal and Great Lakes National Aquaculture Initiative.
Depending on appropriations, the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program expects to have available a total of $7,000,000 to $11,500,000 across fiscal years 2018, 2019 and 2020 as part of the Sea Grant National Aquaculture Initiative (NAI). As part of the NAI, this competition is designed to foster the expansion of a sustainable U.S. ocean, coastal and Great Lakes aquaculture sector by addressing one or more of the following priorities:
- Supporting the development of emerging systems or technologies that will advance aquaculture in the U.S., including projects that will help stimulate aquaculture production by nascent industries;
- Developing and implementing actionable methods of communicating accurate, science based messages and information about the benefits and risks of U.S. marine aquaculture to the public; and
- Increasing the resiliency of aquaculture systems to natural hazards and changing conditions.
Successful applications must describe projects that clearly address major constraints, barriers or hurdles limiting aquaculture production in the U.S. The overall objectives of the Sea Grant NAI are to:
- Address the needs of the U.S. ocean, coastal and Great Lakes aquaculture sector by supporting research, technology transfer, and best practices related to the sustainable aquaculture of ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes fish, shellfish, or algae species (including state- and federally-managed species),
- Increase production of such species in federal waters and the coastal zone of state waters (as defined by the Coastal Zone Management Act to include the Great Lakes), and
- Address major constraints, barriers, or hurdles of domestic aquaculture development that currently limit increased production (this can include research, extension, technology transfer, regulatory/policy and/or legal activities to support production, market access, distribution, etc.).
Researchers in Florida who wish to submit a proposal must submit all materials to Florida Sea Grant executive assistant Melissa Macarages by 3:00 p.m. EST on March 2, 2018.
For more information, visit: Request for Proposals: 2018-2020 Sea Grant National Aquaculture Initiative
