NOAA Awards $103 Million to Boost Fish Habitat Nationwide

NOAA Fisheries announced $103 million in funding for 16 habitat‑restoration projects across the United States, including coral planting in the Caribbean, river reconnections for salmon, and salt‑marsh restoration for shrimp and oysters in the Gulf of America. The agency also identified 21,000 acres of offshore aquaculture opportunity zones and released three science advice publications on managing genetic risk, while noting new deep‑sea sponge discoveries and a roadmap to modernize fisheries‑independent surveys.