NOAA Fisheries is directing $103 million toward habitat restoration projects across the country, with several of the largest awards aimed at improving habitat for commercially important salmon, shrimp, oysters, and other species.
The agency announced Sept. 10 that it selected 16 projects for funding, ranging from salmon habitat work in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest to salt marsh restoration along the Gulf and Southeast coasts.
The funding is intended to restore wetlands, rivers, coral reefs, and other habitats fish rely on for feeding, spawning, and growth. NOAA said healthy habitat is essential to sustaining both commercial and recreational fisheries and the communities and industries that depend on them.
Demand for funding far exceeded what was available. NOAA received nearly 350 proposals requesting a combined $1.5 billion, more than 17 times the amount ultimately awarded.
Salmon projects receive funding across Alaska and West Coast
A significant portion of the funding will go toward salmon habitat and fish passage projects.
In Alaska, the Knik Tribe will receive $5.1 million to restore fish passage supporting Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon. Trout Unlimited was awarded another $7.9 million for fish passage restoration in the Chena River watershed along the Yukon River.
California projects include $5.4 million for California Trout to reconnect floodplain habitat for coho salmon in the Klamath River. The California Department of Water Resources will receive $8 million for fish passage work benefiting salmon and sturgeon.
Farther north, NOAA awarded $6.1 million to The Freshwater Trust for salmon and steelhead habitat restoration in Oregon's Sandy River Basin. The Wild Salmon Center will receive $5.9 million to restore coho salmon habitat across four Oregon Coast watersheds.
In Washington, the Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group was awarded $7.2 million for floodplain habitat supporting Chinook salmon and steelhead. The Skagit River System Cooperative, representing the Sauk-Suiattle and Swinomish tribes, will receive $4.2 million to restore fish passage supporting Similk Estuary Chinook salmon.
Shrimp and oyster habitat targeted in the South
Two of the largest projects will focus on marsh habitat that supports shrimp, oysters, and redfish.
The University of Georgia will receive $8 million to restore salt marsh serving as nursery habitat for those species.
In Texas, Ducks Unlimited was awarded $9.9 million for marsh restoration in the Galveston Bay watershed, also targeting habitat used by redfish, shrimp and oysters.
Other projects include a $10 million tidal marsh restoration effort at Liberty State Park in New Jersey and $6.9 million for coral reef restoration in Puerto Rico.
Additional awards will support habitat restoration in Hawaii, Idaho, Michigan and Wisconsin, including projects benefiting lake sturgeon and Arctic grayling and efforts to reconnect aquatic habitat around lakes Michigan and Superior.
NOAA said the projects are designed to recover and sustain fisheries by improving access to high-quality habitat while supporting fishing industries, jobs and coastal communities.
The $103 million investment represents only a fraction of the habitat work proposed to the agency this funding cycle. With nearly $1.5 billion requested, NOAA funded roughly 1 out of every $17 sought by applicants nationwide.
