2026 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set Aside Program

The 2026 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program is a competitive funding opportunity administered by the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) within the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This program was established through the Scallop Fishery Management Plan to enhance scientific understanding of the Atlantic sea scallop resource and to support fishery management decisions. NOAA coordinates this program in partnership with the New England Fishery Management Council, using RSA quotas rather than direct federal funds to support research. The Scallop RSA Program uniquely operates by awarding successful applicants a portion of the annual catch limit (ACL) of Atlantic sea scallops instead of monetary grants. These set-aside quotas are harvested by fishing vessels, and the proceeds are used to fund the associated research and compensate participating vessel owners. In this round, NMFS anticipates up to 760,193 pounds of RSA quota available for 2026, with additional quotas allocated for 2027 and 2028. Up to 25,000 pounds of scallops may be harvested from the Northern Gulf of Maine Management Area in future years. Awards are based on set-aside weight, and projects may receive multi-year support depending on the duration and scope of research proposed. Eligible applicants include a broad range of entities, such as institutions of higher education, hospitals, nonprofits, commercial organizations, individuals, and tribal, state, and local governments. However, federal agencies and employees, as well as employees and members of regional fishery management councils, are ineligible. Projects must align with Council-approved research priorities, which include surveys, biological studies, gear improvements, bycatch mitigation, resource enhancement, impacts of offshore wind energy, and habitat assessments. Applicants are encouraged to align proposals with previously identified research gaps and to consider findings from prior scallop research. All applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 5 p.m. EDT on March 23, 2026. Applicants must ensure registration in SAM.gov, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov well in advance—this process may take over six weeks. Proposals must include a project abstract, a detailed narrative (up to 15 pages), a budget narrative, standard federal forms (SF-424, SF-424A/B, CD-511, and if applicable, SF-LLL), a data management plan, and a NEPA environmental questionnaire. For those without internet access, hard copy submissions must be received or postmarked by the same deadline and sent to the Sustainable Fisheries Division in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Applications are evaluated through a dual-panel review process—technical experts assess scientific merit, while a management panel comprising Council members and fishery experts evaluates program alignment. Projects are scored based on relevance (20 points), technical merit (50 points), qualifications (10 points), budget justification (10 points), and education/outreach (10 points). Final funding decisions consider technical rankings, policy factors, geographic balance, and redundancy concerns. Applicants may be asked to refine study designs during final selection. Awards are expected to be announced six months after the application deadline. Unless directed otherwise, projects should begin July 1, 2026. Regional scallop surveys may span four years, resource enhancement projects three years, and all other projects up to two years. Selected proposals will be implemented via grants or cooperative agreements, depending on NOAA's level of involvement. Projects must adhere to strict reporting, data sharing, and compliance requirements, including semi-annual financial and performance reports, environmental documentation, and adherence to scientific integrity standards.

Align with research priorities from the Council; demonstrate strong vessel collaboration and data sharing.