(Credit: Cooperative Research Program, NOAA)

Related Links 2008 Sea Scallop RSA Program Cooperative Research Program RSA Brochure

"The scallop research set-aside (RSA) program has been one of our most successful RSA programs,” said Earl Meredith, cooperative research program coordinator for NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center headquartered in Woods Hole, Mass.  “Since its inception in 2000, 35 projects have been funded totaling more than $19 million, or more than $4 million in actual research expenditures and over $15.7 million in compensation to fisherman.”

Research activities can encompass all or part of the 2008 scallop fishing year, but all compensation fishing must be conducted by the end of the 2008 scallop fishing year (February 28, 2009). Projects funded under the scallop RSA should enhance understanding of the scallop resource or contribute to information used to make fishery management decisions.

Highest priority will be given to research propoals that address an intensive industry-based survey of each of the following access areas: Closed Area I, Closed Area II, Nantucket Lightship, Elephant Trunk and Delmarva. Other funding priorities include scallop biology, identification and evaluation of methods to reduce groundfish bycatch, identification and evaluation of methods to reduce habitat impacts, habitat characterization research, and identification of sources of sea turtle interactions and/or identification of ways to minimize interactions with sea turtles.

Additional funding priorities are improved information concerning scallop abundance and evaluation of the distribution, composition and density of scallops, scallop and area management research, and research projects that would assist the transition to industry-based surveys.

No federal funds are provided for this research; funds are generated by the sale of set-aside scallops. Funds generated from RSA landings can be used, for example, to pay for gear modifications, monitoring equipment, additional provisions (such as fuel, ice, food for scientists), or the salaries of research personnel.

Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, hospitals, other nonprofit organizations, commercial organizations, individuals, and state, local, and Native American tribal governments. Applications are also encouraged from historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, and institutions that work in underserved areas. NOAA encourages applications from members of the fishing community and applications that involve fishing community cooperation and participation.

The full federal funding announcement for this RSA program can be viewed through the NOAA Grants On-line website at http://www.grants.gov/, under Funding Opportunity Number NMFS-NEFSC-2008-2001277.

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