Grants / Department of Commerce / DOC NOAA - ERA Production

National Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP) - FY2026/27

Open Closes January 22, 2027 (83 days left) Opportunity NOAA-NMFS-FHQ-2027-33398

• Award ceiling$400,000
• Award floor$50,000
• Expected awards30
• Total funding$4.6 million
• Cost sharingNot required
• Funding typeCooperative Agreement

Key dates

Add the deadline to your calendar

Who can apply

This opportunity is open to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses, businesses and individuals.

• State governments
• County governments
• City or township governments
• Special district governments
• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
• Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
• Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
• Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
• Private institutions of higher education
• Individuals
• For profit organizations other than small businesses
• Small businesses
• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

Eligible applicants are individuals, institutions of higher education, other nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and state, local, U.S. territorial, Alaska Native, and Indian tribal governments. Federal agencies or instrumentalities are not eligible to receive Federal assistance under this notice. If an eligible applicant has questions regarding this funding opportunity, they should contact: Justin Pearce Office of Sustainable Fisheries 1315 East-West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-427-8521 NMFS.HQ.BREP@noaa.gov

More grants for nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses, businesses, individuals.

Is this a realistic fit?

• No cost sharing or match is required.

What the grant funds

This grant program provides competitive grants to non-Federal researchers working to benefit U.S. fishermen and fisheries, including aquaculture, through the development of improved fishing practices and innovative gear technologies. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, as amended (MSA), 16 U.S.C. 1865, requires that NOAA’s conservation and management measures minimize bycatch to the extent practicable and established the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP) to support the development of technological devices and other conservation engineering changes to minimize bycatch and reduce post-release mortality of non-target species in our nation’s fisheries. Bycatch reduction is a priority for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), as outlined in the NMFS National Bycatch Reduction Strategy (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/bycatch/national-bycatchreduction-strategy). Fisheries bycatch can contribute to overfishing, population declines for threatened and endangered species, and can result in commercial fishery closures. This Program seeks to support the development and testing of fishing gears and approaches that can be applied in commercial and recreational fisheries to reduce bycatch and post-release mortality and address the MSA requirements to minimize bycatch and habitat impacts.

Category: Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

How to apply

1. Read the full notice and attachments on Grants.gov. The notice is the official source for deadlines and requirements.
2. Make sure your organization has an active SAM.gov registration and Unique Entity ID; registration can take several weeks.
3. Register on Grants.gov and submit through Workspace before the deadline and time given in the notice. Our application guide walks through each step.

Questions go to Keisha Trent, Grantor, NMFS.HQ.BREP@noaa.gov, 3016281449.

Open the official notice