2014 Mid Atlantic Research Set Aside (RSA) | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The 2014 Mid Atlantic Research Set Aside (RSA) opportunity is a NOAA and Department of Commerce funding program designed to support fisheries research in the Mid Atlantic region by using a dedicated slice of commercial fishing quota as the funding mechanism. Instead of relying only on direct appropriations, the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council created the RSA program to set aside a small portion of allowable catch, then make that quota available to approved research projects. Successful projects can fund their work through the sale (or use) of the RSA quota, effectively linking scientific research needs with the fisheries that benefit from improved data and management.

The program is grounded in several federal fishery management actions that established how RSA quotas are carved out during the annual quota-setting process for multiple Fishery Management Plans (FMPs). The notice references Framework Adjustment 1 covering species managed under the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP; the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish FMP; the Bluefish FMP; and the Tilefish FMP. It also notes that, through Amendment 3 to the Spiny Dogfish FMP (then under development, with final rulemaking anticipated in early summer 2013), the Council proposed adding spiny dogfish to the list of RSA-eligible species. In practical terms, this means applicants could propose research tied to these managed species and potentially gain access to RSA quota associated with them.

A key feature of the Mid Atlantic RSA approach is the size and flexibility of the set-aside. For each species, the RSA portion may range from 0 to 3 percent of that species Total Allowable Landings (TAL), depending on what is set during the Council process. The quota is intended mainly to support research involving the same species from which the set-aside is taken, aligning incentives so that research directly improves assessment and management for that stock. At the same time, the program allows some cross-species flexibility: applicants may request up to 25 percent of the set-aside quota for other species listed in the notice even if those species are not the main focus of the proposed research. That provision is meant to help projects operate realistically at sea, where mixed catches and operational constraints can make it difficult to target only one stock, and to let researchers assemble the quota package needed to run a viable field program.

Administratively, this opportunity was issued by NOAA NMFS through the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) under Funding Opportunity Number NOAA NMFS NEFSC 2014 2003636, titled "2014 Mid Atlantic Research Set Aside (RSA)." It is categorized as a discretionary opportunity and supports awards through either a cooperative agreement or a grant, reflecting that some projects may require substantial NOAA involvement (cooperative agreement) while others may be more independently led (grant). The activity category is Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology, and other Research and Development, and the CFDA listing is 11.454, Unallied Management Projects. NOAA anticipated making about three awards under this announcement. No cost sharing or matching was required, which lowers barriers for applicants that may not have access to non-federal match funds, including smaller organizations or fishing industry partners.

The funding amounts are not expressed as traditional dollar limits in the posted fields: both the award ceiling and award floor are listed as 0. In RSA programs, that often signals that the monetary value is not pre-set as a fixed grant budget cap because project support can be derived from the value of the allocated quota (which can vary by species, market prices, and timing), in addition to any direct federal funding structure used for the award instrument. In other words, the real project "budget" can depend heavily on quota value and how the project plans to monetize or utilize it, rather than a simple maximum award amount printed in the notice.

Eligibility is intentionally broad and includes institutions of higher education, hospitals, nonprofit organizations, commercial organizations, individuals, and state, local, and Native American tribal governments. Federal agencies and federal institutions are explicitly not eligible to receive assistance under this notice. In addition, employees of any federal agency or any Regional Fishery Management Council are not allowed to submit applications, although Council members who are not federal employees may apply. The notice also emphasizes NOAA and DOC priorities around broadening participation: women and minority individuals and groups are encouraged to apply, and NOAA highlights interest in proposals involving historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, and organizations working in underserved areas. Another explicit program priority is engagement with the fishing community. NOAA encourages applications from fishery participants and especially proposals that include cooperation and participation from the fishing industry, reflecting the program's practical, sea-going nature and the value of industry collaboration for data collection and applied research.

The timeline for this 2014 competition shows it was posted and created on March 7, 2013, with an original and current closing date of May 6, 2013, and an archive date of June 5, 2013. Applicants needing help accessing the full announcement were directed to Cheryl A. Corbett, Cooperative Programs Specialist at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, with contact by phone, fax, or mail. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a fisheries research funding pathway that ties scientific work to real-world fishing operations by reserving a small share of allowable catch and using it to underwrite projects that strengthen stock assessments, management decisions, and the broader scientific foundation for Mid Atlantic fisheries.

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