New Grants for Sustainable Fisheries Available

(Washington, D.C.) October 22, 2012 – The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced the third round of grants available from its Fisheries Innovation Fund. The Fund, a public-private partnership, fosters the design and implementation of new and inventive ideas to ensure sustainable fisheries. For the third year, fisheries managers, fishermen, nonprofit organizations and others with a stake in America’s fisheries can apply for additional resources to put innovative fishing practices into action.

“In just two years, the Fund has helped provide practical ideas, business assistance and technical advice to fishermen. Our projects have implemented harvest and quota trading systems, deployed new cost-effective monitoring tools, and reduced bycatch,” said NFWF Executive Director and CEO Jeff Trandahl. “The Fund supports both fisheries and the communities that depend on them, and we are committed to continuing this process.”

“Fishermen and fishing communities play a critical role in sustaining our  nation’s fisheries,” said Sam Rauch, deputy assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “Our  investment in the Fisheries Innovation Fund is helping fishermen, managers and fishing community organizations create solutions to management challenges, improve  the marketing of sustainable fisheries and expand the use of technology to fish sustainably."

NFWF’s Fisheries Innovation Fund, introduced in 2010, encourages the participation of fishermen and fishing communities in the implementation of sustainable fisheries in the U.S. It promotes the development of safer, more profitable fisheries that meet catch limits, reduce bycatch and eliminate overfishing. In its first two years, the Fund awarded nearly $3.95 million to 36 projects in the northeastern U.S., the Great Lakes, the mid-Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, Pacific coast and Alaska. In 2013, the Fund expects to award $1.35 million to approximately 15 projects across the country. Details on the Request for Proposals are available at www.nfwf.org/fisheriesfund .

The Fund is made possible through a partnership with NOAA and additional support from the Walton Family Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Potential applicants can learn more by logging on to www.nfwf.org/applicantinfo .

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is a leader in the conservation and restoration of the nation’s native fish and wildlife species and habitats. Created by Congress in 1984, NFWF matches public conservation dollars with private funds to meet pressing environmental needs. NFWF has a long and successful history of working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish public-private partnerships to support the agency’s conservation priorities.