Program leaders for sport fish restoration (SFR) projects are located in harrison and jackson counties withprojects occurring in all three mississippi coastal counties (hancock- harrison- and jackson)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) a $370,000 Formula Grant under the Sport Fish Restoration (CFDA 15.605) program. The grant will provide administrative and coordination support for various marine fisheries research projects and coastal restoration/resiliency activities through Apr 2026. Key products and services funded include:

Management and oversight of artificial reef construction, sport fish population monitoring, and recreational fishing access projects across Mississippi's coastal counties. Activities span marine fisheries research, boating infrastructure improvements, and clean vessel initiatives. Sub-awards will support construction and maintenance of marine facilities in Bay St. Louis, Waveland, and Gautier. The grant aims to enhance coordination of personnel and equipment across these diverse Sport Fish Restoration activities to maximize program benefits for Mississippi's marine resources and public access.

With a number ofactivities and access construction projects occurring throughout the state marine waters- close coordination ofpersonnel and equipment is necessary to successfully manage SFR activities. Additional training in the management of federal grants will aid in carrying out these activities more efficiently. A director and a programcoordinator from both the office of marine fisheries and the office of coastal restoration and resiliency withinthe mississippi department of marine resources (mdmr) will serve as project leaders- thus expediting thedecision-making process regarding equipment and manpower assignments. They will oversee the marine fisheries research projects and the SFR boating access- boating infrastructure grant- and clean vessel act grant projects respectively. Due to the increased number of boating access construction and clean vessel act projects occurring throughout the state marine waters- close coordination of personnel and equipment will result in enhanced benefits for all SFR activities. This project will provide administrative and coordination support for the following awards:marine fisheries sport fish awards:1. Mississippi artificial reef program (F23AF03375) and future segment.2. Mississippi coastal sport fish studies (F24AF00444) and future segment.3. Sport fish tag and release in mississippi coastal waters and adjacent gulf of mexico (F24AF00390) and future segment.4. Assessment of sport fish species in mississippi coastal waters (F23AF00591)and future segment.5. MS -FY23ELECTROFISHING for monitoring juvenile and adult sportfish populations in mississippi coastalwaters (F23AF01824) and future segments.6. MS - FY23 collaborative reef fish monitoring (F23AF01591) and future segment.7. MS -FY23ACOUSTIC telemetry of sport fish species in the mississippi sound (F23AF02981) and future segment.coastal restoration and resiliency awards:big:1. BAY ST louis municipal harbor (F18AP00531).2. BAY marina (F21AP01630).3. Waveland marina (F22AP01154).4. Blue moon properties (pending federal approval).boating access:1. Gautier-shepard park (F21AF00274).2. BAY ST louis bayou lacroix (F22AF0159).CVA:1. Main harbor store (F21AP04184).2. Captain s wharf marina (F22AP01543).3. Sub-grant recipient TBD (F22AP01545).4. Sub-grant recipient TBD (F21AP04183).