The project purpose is to support ecologically sound sciencebased finfish conservation and management decisions

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $641,947 Formula Grant under the Sport Fish Restoration program (CFDA 15.605) to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) for the period of July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025. The grant's purpose is to support ecologically sound, science-based finfish conservation and management decisions in the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay. Key activities to be performed include data collection, research, and monitoring on the health, abundance, and distribution of Chesapeake Bay fishes. Expected outcomes involve maintaining healthy and sustainable fish populations within biological and cultural limits. The grant provides funding for VMRC to conduct critical field research such as bottom trawl surveys, gill net sampling, and electrofishing to collect data on fish populations, their biological characteristics, and ecosystem interactions. VMRC is also collaborating with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) as a sub-grantee to perform a juvenile trawl survey focused on assessing the abundance of young fish.

Activities to be performed include data collection research and monitoring on the health abundance and distribution of chesapeake BAY fishes focusing on the virginia portion of the estuary. Expected outcomes include maintaining healthy and sustainable populations of fishes within biological and cultural limits which supports the goals of the u. S. Fish wildlife sport fish restoration program. Intended beneficiaries are the public who use and appreciate these natural resources. There are no subrecipient activities.