NOAA earlier this month announced a series of grants and awards in furtherance of Gulf of Mexico natural resource management, coastal and infrastructure resilience, ocean observing.
The Gulf of Mexico natural resource management award will provide $2.3 million to 20 project teams to develop research that informs future decision-makers on how to better manage Gulf of Mexico marine mammals, shorebirds, barrier islands, and fisheries.
National Ocean Service Director Nicole LeBoeuf said that the announcement reflects the agency’s commitment to “producing relevant and high-quality science that supports the management and sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem,” adding that “[t]hrough these projects, we hope to gain a better understanding of how science can support decision makers as they manage the evolving economic, environmental, and social pressures on the fisheries, ecosystems, and communities in the Gulf of Mexico, especially in the context of a rapidly changing climate.”
The coastal and infrastructure resilience grants announced earlier this month will provide over $4.6 million for 13 projects in 21 states to fund research to inform communities on how to best mitigate against sea level rise and to investigate the effectiveness of natural features or restored coastal habitats to enhance coastal resilience.
The ocean observing awards will provide $41 million through 11 5-year cooperative agreements that support the growth, expansion, and modernization of observing capabilities in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Southern California, Central and Northern California, Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes, Caribbean, and Pacific Islands regions.
