American Lobster Research Program | NOAA OAR SG 2021 2006808

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA OAR SG 2021 2006808

The American Lobster Research Program is a competitive federal funding opportunity run through the National Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant), within the U.S. Department of Commerce. Sea Grant was created by Congress in 1966 and later amended (most recently referenced here in 2020) to support partnerships that blend federal and state resources with the expertise of universities, research institutions, and other stakeholders to tackle real-world problems in coastal communities. In practical terms, this specific program is meant to generate science that helps sustain and manage the American lobster fishery as environmental conditions across the U.S. Northeast shelf change quickly.

The opportunity is driven by the economic and cultural importance of American lobster (Homarus americanus) and by mounting evidence that climate and ecosystem shifts are already affecting the species and the fisheries that depend on it. Lobster is one of the most valuable commercial fisheries on the Atlantic coast. The notice highlights that lobster was the top-valued species group in U.S. commercial fisheries in 2018 (about $684 million), and it notes that while landings have remained above historical averages, NOAA data showed a roughly 15 percent drop in pounds landed in 2019 compared to the prior year. Against that backdrop, the program frames warming ocean temperatures as a central concern, pointing to research suggesting temperature can influence where lobsters live and move, how fast they grow, when they mature, and how likely they are to die from natural causes. The announcement also flags broader ecosystem pressures such as shifting food webs and ocean acidification, especially in the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and southern New England.

A key rationale for the program is that stock status and future prospects differ across regions, and managers need better information to respond. The notice references the 2020 Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment, which found the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank stock to be healthy, but emphasized uncertainty because the Gulf of Maine is warming rapidly. In contrast, the southern New England lobster fishery was assessed as depleted with no projected rebound. Because environmental conditions from southern New England through downeast Maine are described as dynamic and changing quickly, Sea Grant is seeking research that improves understanding of both the pace and the scale of change, and what those changes mean for lobster biology, population dynamics, and fishery performance. The program also underscores that this is not just a biological question; it is also an economic and community resilience issue, given the fisherys large ex-vessel value (noted as nearly $630 million in 2019).

In terms of what the program wants to fund, the emphasis is on team-based research and, especially, collaborative projects that connect state agencies, academic researchers, and/or industry partners. The goal is to address critical knowledge gaps about how environmental change is affecting American lobster and the fishery, and to produce information useful for management and for fishing communities adapting to shifting conditions. The program design is described as being informed by prior listening sessions that included fishing industry stakeholders, state and federal fisheries managers, and researchers across university, state, and federal settings, which signals that proposals are expected to be grounded in practical management needs and stakeholder priorities, not purely academic curiosity.

Administratively, this was offered as a discretionary opportunity with awards made through cooperative agreements (meaning the funding agency may have substantial involvement during the project period compared with a standard grant). The funding opportunity number is NOAA OAR SG 2021 2006808, and it falls under CFDA (now commonly referred to as Assistance Listing) 11.417. The opportunity listed an award ceiling of $400,000, anticipated roughly 10 awards, and had an original closing date of April 20, 2021 (with a creation date of February 19, 2021). Eligibility is noted broadly as "Others" with additional details referenced in an eligibility clarification field, which typically indicates that applicants may extend beyond only universities (often including nonprofits, research institutions, or partnerships), but the exact eligible entity types would need to be confirmed in the full notice.

Overall, the American Lobster Research Program is aimed at producing actionable, partner-driven research that helps explain and anticipate how climate-related and ecosystem changes are reshaping lobster populations and the economics of the fishery, with the intent of supporting better management decisions and helping coastal communities that rely on lobster adapt to an uncertain future.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "American Lobster Research Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.417.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 19, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 20, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA OAR SG 2021 2006808

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