Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0005214
The Department of State, through the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES), offered a discretionary funding opportunity titled "Fisheries Management and Governance in U.S. Free Trade Agreement Countries" (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0005214). The program is designed to strengthen how fisheries are managed and governed in countries that have a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States, with an emphasis on practical improvements that support sustainable fishing and rule-based oversight. The funding is provided under CFDA 19.017 and is categorized under the Environment funding activity area, signaling its focus on conservation outcomes and improved natural resource governance rather than commercial expansion.
The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, meaning the Department of State anticipated active involvement in shaping or overseeing the project during implementation, not just passively issuing funds. OES planned to make either one award up to USD 500,000 total or two awards up to USD 250,000 each, with up to two expected awards. The opportunity references FY 2017 ESF funding (Economic Support Fund), indicating the money comes from a foreign assistance account typically used to advance U.S. foreign policy objectives by building partner capacity, improving governance, and supporting stability, including in natural resource sectors where weak controls can drive corruption or conflict.
The work supported by the grants centers on three connected priorities. First, the program aims to improve science-based fisheries management, which generally involves strengthening the data and analytical foundations used to set catch limits, define seasons, manage gear types, and protect sensitive habitats or spawning areas. In practice, this can include stock assessments, improving data collection at landing sites, integrating ecosystem considerations into management decisions, and building institutional capacity to translate scientific findings into enforceable regulations and management plans. The underlying goal is to move fisheries decision-making away from ad hoc or politically driven choices and toward methods grounded in evidence, transparency, and long-term sustainability.
Second, the opportunity prioritizes improvements to monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS), the operational backbone that makes fisheries rules meaningful. MCS typically includes on-the-water and in-port inspections, patrol and enforcement coordination, observer programs, electronic monitoring, vessel tracking tools such as VMS, catch documentation, and stronger investigative and case management processes. By improving MCS, partner countries can better ensure compliance with their fisheries regulations, reduce overfishing, and strengthen confidence that legal operators are not being undercut by those who violate the rules.
Third, a major focus is combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, a global problem that undermines fish stocks, deprives governments of revenue, distorts markets, and can be linked to transnational crime. The notice highlights support for vessel registries and fisheries information-sharing systems in particular. Strong vessel registration systems help authorities establish vessel identity and ownership, prevent vessel "flag hopping" or identity fraud, and make it harder for IUU actors to hide behind incomplete records. Information-sharing systems can improve coordination within a country and across borders by enabling agencies to exchange data on vessel activity, licensing status, compliance history, and suspected violations, which is crucial in regions where vessels operate across multiple jurisdictions.
Key administrative details include a creation date of June 15, 2018, and an original closing date of July 29, 2018. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility specifics referenced in the full announcement text. Overall, the opportunity is structured to fund one or two fairly targeted capacity-building projects that measurably strengthen fisheries management institutions, enforcement capability, and anti-IUU infrastructure in U.S. FTA partner countries, especially through better science, stronger compliance systems, and modernized vessel and information management tools.Apply for SFOP0005214
- The Department of State, Bureau of Oceans - Int. Environmental - Scientific in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fisheries Management and Governance in U.S. Free Trade Agreement Countries" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.017.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 15, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 29, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the title of this funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Fisheries Management and Governance in U.S. Free Trade Agreement Countries."
2. Which U.S. government office is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of State, through the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES).
3. What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is SFOP0005214.
4. What is the purpose of the program?
The program is designed to strengthen fisheries management and governance in countries that have a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States, with an emphasis on practical improvements that support sustainable fishing and rule-based oversight.
5. What types of outcomes is this program trying to achieve?
Based on the notice, the program is focused on outcomes such as:
- More science-based fisheries decisions and management approaches
- Stronger monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) so fisheries rules can be enforced
- Improved ability to prevent and respond to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing
- Modernized systems like vessel registries and fisheries information-sharing infrastructure
6. What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is funded under CFDA 19.017.
7. What is the funding activity area/category?
The opportunity is categorized under the Environment funding activity area, indicating an emphasis on conservation outcomes and improved natural resource governance rather than commercial expansion.
8. What is the award mechanism?
The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement. This means the Department of State anticipated active involvement in shaping and/or overseeing the project during implementation, rather than simply issuing funds with minimal engagement.
9. How many awards were expected?
The announcement anticipated making up to two awards (up to two expected awards).
10. What is the total funding amount and maximum award size?
The notice indicates OES planned either:
- One award up to USD 500,000 total, or
- Two awards up to USD 250,000 each
11. What funding source is referenced for this opportunity?
The opportunity references FY 2017 ESF funding (Economic Support Fund), which is a foreign assistance account generally used to advance U.S. foreign policy objectives through activities such as capacity building, improving governance, and supporting stability, including in natural resource sectors.
12. Which countries are the intended focus of this program?
The program is intended to strengthen fisheries management and governance in countries that have a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States.
13. What are the main program priorities?
The notice describes three connected priorities:
- Improving science-based fisheries management
- Improving monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS)
- Combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, including strengthening vessel registries and information-sharing systems
14. What does "science-based fisheries management" mean in the context of this opportunity?
In this opportunity, science-based fisheries management generally refers to strengthening the data and analytical foundations used to make management decisions, such as setting catch limits, defining fishing seasons, managing gear types, and protecting sensitive habitats or spawning areas. The notice also points to building institutional capacity so scientific findings can be translated into enforceable regulations and management plans, helping move decisions away from ad hoc or politically driven choices and toward evidence, transparency, and long-term sustainability.
15. What kinds of activities could fall under improving science-based management (as described in the notice)?
The notice gives examples that can include:
- Stock assessments
- Improving data collection at landing sites
- Integrating ecosystem considerations into management decisions
- Building institutional capacity to apply science through enforceable rules and plans
16. What is monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) in this program?
MCS is described as the operational backbone that makes fisheries rules meaningful. It typically includes a mix of field operations and systems that support compliance and enforcement.
17. What kinds of MCS improvements are mentioned in the opportunity?
The notice notes that MCS can include:
- On-the-water and in-port inspections
- Patrol and enforcement coordination
- Observer programs
- Electronic monitoring
- Vessel tracking tools such as VMS
- Catch documentation
- Stronger investigative and case management processes
18. Why does the opportunity emphasize MCS?
Because improved MCS helps partner countries ensure compliance with fisheries regulations, reduce overfishing, and build confidence that legal operators are not being undercut by those who violate the rules.
19. What is IUU fishing, and why is it a focus?
IUU stands for illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. The notice characterizes IUU fishing as a global problem that undermines fish stocks, deprives governments of revenue, distorts markets, and can be linked to transnational crime. The program prioritizes efforts that strengthen capacity to combat IUU fishing.
20. What specific anti-IUU components are highlighted?
The notice highlights support for:
- Vessel registries
- Fisheries information-sharing systems
21. Why are vessel registries important in the context of this opportunity?
Strong vessel registration systems help authorities establish vessel identity and ownership, prevent tactics such as flag hopping or identity fraud, and make it harder for IUU actors to hide behind incomplete records.
22. What is meant by fisheries information-sharing systems in the notice?
Information-sharing systems are described as tools that can improve coordination within a country and across borders by enabling agencies to exchange data on vessel activity, licensing status, compliance history, and suspected violations, which is especially important where vessels operate across multiple jurisdictions.
23. When was this opportunity created?
The creation date listed is June 15, 2018.
24. What was the original closing date?
The original closing date listed is July 29, 2018.
25. Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others", with additional eligibility specifics referenced in the full announcement text.
26. How targeted is the program, based on the funding structure?
The opportunity is structured to fund one or two relatively targeted capacity-building projects, with the intent to measurably strengthen fisheries management institutions, enforcement capability, and anti-IUU infrastructure in U.S. FTA partner countries.
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