The mission of the National Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP) is to support the development of technological solutions and changes in fishing practices designed to minimize bycatch of fish and protected species (including Endangered Species Act-listed fish, marine mammals, seabirds, and sea
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turtles) and to reduce impacts to invertebrates (including sponges, deep-sea corals, and shallow (tropical) corals.) In addition, BREP may support projects that quantify post-release mortality and identify ways to minimize mortality and injury of bycaught species (including post-release injury and mortality).
Projects should produce outcomes that can directly influence management needs of federally managed living marine resources.
For Fiscal Year 2024, NMFS anticipates that approximately $2,300,000 could be made available for approximately 10-15 projects that address bycatch research as identified in the Program Priority Section (I.B.1 - I.B.5).