National Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP) – FY2026/27
🏛 DOC NOAA - ERA Production (DOC-DOCNOAAERA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 18, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for individuals, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and state/local/tribal governments developing fishing technologies that reduce bycatch. Applicants must be non-Federal entities working on innovative gear, conservation engineering, or fishing practices for commercial or recreational fisheries. The program supports R&D and testing of solutions that minimize bycatch and post-release mortality under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Federal agencies are not eligible.
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Program 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.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative/Technical Proposal
- Budget Narrative and Detailed Budget
- Biosketches of key personnel
- Letters of support from fishing industry partners
- Organizational capacity documentation
Program contact
- 👤 Keisha Trent Grantor
- 📧 NMFS.HQ.BREP@noaa.gov
- 📞 3016281449
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 11.452 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$729,977
-
$373,745
-
$210,000
-
$155,894
-
$111,644
-
$50,000
-
$43,188
-
$28,808
-
$24,986
-
$15,000
Top States by Funding
- HI 3 awards $1.3M
- AK 4 awards $0.1M
- PA 1 awards $0.1M
- AS 2 awards $0.0M
- GU 1 awards $0.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 11.452). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $122,950 | |
| 2025 | $383,266 | |
| 2026 est. | $402,429 |
FAQ
Who can apply for BREP funding?
Individuals, nonprofits, for-profit companies, universities, and state/tribal governments are eligible. Federal agencies cannot apply.
What types of projects are funded?
Projects developing fishing gears, technologies, and conservation practices that reduce bycatch and post-release mortality in commercial and recreational fisheries.
Is cost-sharing required?
No. This program does not require matching funds or cost-sharing from applicants.
What is the funding range?
Awards typically range from $50,000 to $400,000 per project.
When is the deadline?
The FY2026/27 deadline is January 22, 2027.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Ground your project in the NMFS National Bycatch Reduction Strategy and explain how your gear/practice addresses identified priorities.
- Include detailed testing plans. Reviewers want evidence your technology will actually reduce bycatch in real fishing conditions.
- Partner with commercial or recreational fishermen early. Peer support and feasibility feedback strengthen competitiveness significantly.
- Use clear visuals or prototypes if possible. Technical innovation is easier to evaluate with diagrams or video demonstrations.
- Demonstrate scalability. Explain how your solution can be adopted across multiple fisheries, not just one region or vessel type.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applicants propose ideas without field testing or fishermen feedback, making projects seem impractical. Proposals fail to connect their work to existing NMFS bycatch priorities or MSA requirements. Budgets lack detail on gear testing, trials, or validation costs, raising questions about feasibility.
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