FishAmerica and NOAA Award Grants for Fisheries Habitat Restoration
by
Johanna Laderman
July 27, 2005—Alexandria, VA. The FishAmerica Foundation
and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Restoration
Center awarded 22 grants totaling more than $785,000 for fisheries
habitat restoration projects located in communities in twelve states.
The projects range from improving fish passage in the Betsie River
(Michigan) watershed of Lake Michigan to recreating oyster reef fisheries
habitat in San Francisco Bay to restoring hurricane-damaged fish habitat
in Florida. This is the first year the partnership will fund projects
in the Great Lakes watershed.
Since 1998, FishAmerica has partnered with the NOAA Restoration Center to
restore critical marine and anadromous sportfish habitat along the
coastal United States. To date, the partnership has funded more than 185
projects valued at more than $2.8 million.
“These valuable projects will improve fishing for the nation’s
37 million coastal and Great Lakes anglers,” said Johanna Laderman,
FishAmerica managing director. “FishAmerica is excited to work
so closely with fisheries managers and our partners in the sportfishing
and boating industry for the future of recreational fisheries in the
United States.”
The grants were awarded to local watershed associations, conservation clubs,
and local and state agencies. Over the course of the projects, it is
estimated that more than 1,400 volunteers will donate 15,000 hours
to restore sport fish spawning and rearing habitat, improve water quality
and improve fish passage for salmon, trout, striped bass, bluefish, snook,
tarpon, redfish, black drum, sheepshead, flounder and other sport fish.
The twelve states receiving funding are: Alaska, California, Florida, Massachusetts,
Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island and Washington state.
The FishAmerica Foundation provides nearly $1 million in grants each year
for fisheries conservation and research across the country, empowering
citizen conservationists in their own communities. Over the last 20
years, the foundation has provided more than $8 million for over 800 grassroots
conservation projects.
“NOAA Fisheries Service is really excited about this partnership and
the conservation efforts that will result from these grants,” said
Dr. Bill Hogarth, NOAA Fisheries Service director. “Our living
marine resources need good healthy habitat to be able to sustain their
populations, and we believe this partnership and the grants we are
providing will help restore some of these critically important habitats.”
In the United States, saltwater recreational fishing is a $31 billion industry
while fishing in the Great Lakes adds an additional $7.3 billion to
the economy. Overall, American anglers spend $41.5 billion in retail sales
and generate $116 billion in economic benefits for the nation each year.
2005 FishAmerica and NOAA Restoration Center Projects
Alaska. The Alaskan Youth Restoration Corps of Kenai was
awarded $25,000 to restore instream spawning and rearing habitat for
Coho, chum, pink and Chinook salmon along Resurrection Creek in the
Cook Inlet watershed on the Kenai Peninsula. Resurrection
Creek was home to Alaska’s first gold rush nearly a century ago.
California. The Forestville Planning Association was awarded
$30,000 to restore coho and steelhead rearing habitat along the Green
Valley Creek in the Russian River watershed. The Marin Rod and Gun
Club received $49,712 to restore oyster reef fisheries habitat in San
Francisco Bay near Point San Quentin. The
Mattole Restoration Council was awarded $45,000 to improve salmonid
access to nearly three miles of high quality salmon spawning and rearing
habitat on the South Fork of Bear Creek in Humboldt County. The Tuolumne
River Preservation Trust received $40,000 to restore fisheries habitat
in the Tuolumne River watershed in Modesto.
Florida. The Federation of Fly Fishers was awarded $35,775
to restore fisheries habitat within the Ding Darling National Wildlife
Refuge damaged during the 2004 hurricane season. The Florida Department
of Environmental Protection was awarded $15,000 to create highly productive
oyster reef fisheries habitat in the Pensacola and Choctawhatchee Bays
in northwest Florida. The
Florida Gulf Coast University was awarded $35,000 to restore oyster
reef fisheries habitat in the western Everglades estuaries of southwestern
Florida.
Massachusetts. The Town of Plymouth was awarded $50,000
to improve fish passage along Town Brook a popular sportfishing destinations
for recreational fishermen targeting striped bass and bluefish.
Michigan. The Conservation Resource Alliance was awarded
$20,000 to improve fish passage along Dair Creek in the Betsie River
watershed of Lake Michigan, a popular fishing spot for local anglers.
New Jersey. The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
was awarded $22,362 to restore oyster reef and fisheries habitat in
the Mullica River and Great Bay estuary in New Jersey.
New York. The Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation
District was awarded $50,000 to stabilize and restore the streambanks
of Chautauqua Creek, a major tributary of Lake Erie. A prime trout
stream, the creek‘s lower five miles provides
spawning and rearing habitat for coho, Chinook, steelhead, and brown
trout.
North Carolina. The North Carolina Coastal Federation was
awarded $40,000 to restore salt marsh and tidal creek fisheries habitat
and reduce non-point source pollution and sediment input in the North
River watershed.
Oregon. The Columbia Slough Watershed Council was awarded
$45,000 to restore fish passage to critical floodplain fisheries habitat
in the Lower Columbia Slough in Oregon. The Columbia Soil and Water
Conservation District was awarded $45,000 to restore fish access to
six miles of upstream habitat along Miller Creek, a tributary of the
Clatskanie River in the Lower Columbia River watershed. The
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation received $25,000
to restore instream fisheries habitat and stabilize streambanks along
McKay Creek in the Umatilla River watershed, in Pendleton, Oregon.
Pennsylvania. The Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust
was awarded $42,800 to remove the Bethayres Dam along Pennypack Creek
in the Delaware River watershed, initiating the restoration of fish
passage to nearly thirty miles of valuable spawning and rearing habitat
for many species of anadromous fish.
Rhode Island. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management was awarded $45,000 to restore passage to upstream spawning
and rearing habitat.
Washington. Fish First was awarded $49,100 to restore fish
passage to upstream spawning and rearing habitat along Stavle Creek,
in the North Fork Lewis River watershed. Fish
First was founded by Gary Loomis of G.Loomis to restore fish runs and
recreational fishing in the Lewis River watershed and to promote the
economic viability of local communities and businesses in the watershed
while balancing watershed health. The Mid-Puget Sound Fisheries Enhancement
Group received $21,000 to restore fish passage, enhance instream rearing
habitat and improve water quality in an unnamed tributary of Newaukum
Creek in the Puget Sound watershed. The
Northwest Watershed Institute was awarded $25,000 to remove a fish
barrier along Tarboo Creek. Fish barriers are a major limiting factor
for migrating salmon populations. The Washington Department of Natural
Resources was awarded $29,640 to restore nearshore fisheries habitat
along Henderson Inlet in the Puget Sound watershed.
The FishAmerica Foundation
is the conservation and research foundation of the American Sportfishing
Association. FishAmerica unites the sportfishing industry with
conservation groups, government agencies, fishing tournaments, corporations
and charitable foundations, investing in fisheries conservation and research
across the country. FishAmerica provides matching grants that empower
citizen conservationists in their own communities. Since 1983,
FishAmerica has provided more than $8 million for more than 800 fisheries
conservation and research projects nationwide.
