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Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program

NOAA Fisheries’ Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program supports the development of technological solutions and changes in fishing practices designed to minimize bycatch. Our mission is to find creative approaches and strategies for reducing bycatch, seabird interactions, and post-release mortality in federally managed fisheries.

Funding Available for Innovative Bycatch Solutions

NOAA Fisheries is now accepting applications for the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program. High-priority areas for 2017 projects include:

• Developing innovative and effective technologies, gear modifications, avoidance programs, and/or improved fishing practices in commercial and recreational fisheries to reduce bycatch impacts.
• Improved understanding and reduction of post-release and other indirect mortality, including barotrauma, predation, and unaccounted mortality associated with commercial and recreational fisheries including target and non-target species. Proposals addressing this priority may, but are not limited to, projects that specifically test descending devices to increase functionality and ease of use, as well as proposals that identify high priority release and discard mortality needs and provide baseline information (e.g., depth of capture, effects of air exposure, gear type, temperature) for important discarded species (in particular, but not limited to red snapper, Atlantic cod, striped marlin, etc.).
• Developing techniques to reduce interactions, between fishing gears and corals, sponges, and other structure-forming invertebrates. 
• Conducting comprehensive international bycatch analyses or research which will inform conservation engineering in U.S. fisheries.

Pre-proposals are due by February 10 with full applications due by March 31, 2017.

For more information, download the call for proposals or contact Erin Wilkinson, National Bycatch Coordinator.

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