October 22, 2026

Webinar to help fishermen tap federal funding for vessel repowers

Carli Clancy

Guest Author:

Commercial fishermen considering an engine repower will have an opportunity to learn how federal funding could help cover some of the cost during an upcoming webinar focused on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grant program.

“Funding Your Next Repower: EPA DERA Grants” will be held Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 3 to 4 p.m. EST. The webinar is designed to help fishermen and fishing organizations understand the federal grant opportunity, determine whether they may be eligible, and prepare for the application process.

The EPA is currently accepting applications for its national DERA grant program, which provides funding to reduce diesel emissions through cleaner engines and alternative power technologies. Fishing vessels are eligible for funding, making the program a potential resource for vessel owners facing the significant expense of replacing aging engines.

For marine vessel owners, DERA funding can help offset the purchase of cleaner-burning, higher-tier main engines and generators, as well as battery and hybrid propulsion systems. The program can also support shore power installations at ports.

During the webinar, Dan Tucker, executive director of the Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County, will discuss lessons learned from an ongoing DERA-funded project conducted in partnership with the Port of Bellingham.

Vessels like the F/V St. Zita and F/V Paragon partnered with the Port of Bellingham and the Working Waterfront Coalition to repower using the funds.

Anna Nelson, a grant writer with One Small Step Writing Services, will also walk participants through DERA eligibility requirements and offer tips for assembling a competitive grant application.

Applications for the current DERA national grant opportunity are due Jan. 22, 2027. Eligible applicants include state, local, and Tribal agencies, port authorities, and certain nonprofit organizations that represent or provide services to diesel fleet owners and operators.

The webinar is sponsored by the Fishery Friendly Climate Action Campaign, Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County, One Small Step Writing, and National Fisherman.

Registration is available through the Fishery Friendly Climate Action Campaign.

Carli Clancy

Carli is a Senior Associate Editor at National Fisherman covering commercial fisheries, fishing communities, and marine policy across the United States. Raised in a fourth-generation fishing family on an island in Casco Bay, Maine, Carli brings a working-waterfront perspective to her reporting, with particular focus on New England fisheries and the people whose livelihoods depend on the water.