Modified project summary/abstract section this financial assistance award will provide direct assistance to the the florida department of agriculture and consumer services, division of aquaculture…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program (CFDA 11.999) awarded a $2.91 million cooperative agreement to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Aquaculture, effective November 1, 2025, with completion targeted for October 31, 2028. This award provides direct assistance to support the state's clam aquaculture industry by retaining 500 jobs and supplementing incomes for approximately 50 underemployed clam growers. The primary deliverable involves the removal of 40,000 clam bags and associated debris from waters surrounding Cedar Key, Florida, which were displaced during recent hurricane events.

The project addresses marine debris impacts on coastal marine resources and navigation safety—core priorities of the NOAA Marine Debris Program—through a removal operation that supports economic recovery in Florida's aquaculture sector. The three-year performance period aligns with typical marine debris removal initiatives funded under the program, which emphasize both environmental remediation and regional economic stabilization in affected coastal communities.

Modified project summary/abstract section this financial assistance award will provide direct assistance to the the florida department of agriculture and consumer services, division of aquaculture allowing the state to retain 500 jobs supported by the clam aquaculture industry and supplement incomes to an estimated 50 under-employed clam growers. The project will remove 40,000 clam bags and other debris displaced by hurricanes in the waters around cedar key, FL.