National Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP) - FY2026/27
Competitive cooperative agreements fund development and testing of fishing gear and conservation engineering approaches that reduce bycatch and post-release mortality in U.S. commercial or recreational fisheries, for eligible non-Federal applicants.
⚑ Federal agencies or instrumentalities are ineligible. · Focus is on gear/device development and field testing, not general fisheries research.
This is a conservation engineering and fisheries gear-development program, centered on applied marine technology rather than social-behavioral risk, policy, or public-opinion research. The team’s work on hazards, energy, education policy, and risk communication does not align with bycatch reduction or fishing gear innovation.
JUDGED AGAINST THE ROSTER'S PUBLICATION DOSSIER · GPT-5.4-MINI · 2026-08-25
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 80 strong | technical depth: central; funds applied research |
| IPPRA | 45 partial | peripheral portfolio topic: environment; social/behavioral work is none; funds applied research; capped at 45 (limited social-science role) |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 45 partial | funds applied research; prototyping/demonstration stage; deep-tech content |
Description
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.
Eligibility
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
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: Keisha Trent Grantor <NMFS.HQ.BREP@noaa.gov>
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · NOAA / Department of Commerce conventions SEE A NOAA EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — NOAA / Department of Commerce's document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.