Deadline for written questions: 10.22.2021
Deadline for Pre-Proposal submissions: 11.19.2021

The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC), in cooperation with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), will be issuing $656,734 in grants to fund projects that investigate ways to improve resiliency in California’s urchin fisheries and mitigate the effects of kelp loss.

Four areas of interest include:

1. Kelp forest restoration.
Specific projects of interest include restoration, rehabilitation, and enhancement of kelp forest ecosystems promoting immediate and long-term recovery.
2. Marketing. Specific projects of interest include evaluation of strategies to add value to red sea urchin and further develop markets for purple sea urchin including non-consumptive products.
3. Recruitment Studies.
Specific projects of interest include assessment and evaluation of the factors affecting recruitment of sea urchin and keystone invertebrate predators within kelp ecosystems.
4. Socioeconomic assessments.
Specific projects would contribute to an increased understanding of the red sea urchin fishery collapse, its effect on localized economies within the California fishing communities and inform strategies to better mitigate against future losses in the fishery.

Posted: 10.08.2021

Download the full Request for Proposals (RFP) by clicking the Download RFP button below