Funds under this grant award will be used to coordinate and plan federal assistance activities to ensure that federal funds are used in accordance with applicable federal and state laws, regulations…

The Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 4 awarded the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality $273,978 under the Sport Fish Restoration program (CFDA 15.605) on January 1, 2026, for coordination and planning of federal assistance activities supporting the state's marine fisheries conservation, restoration, and management.

The award funds coordination to ensure federal funds comply with applicable federal and state laws, regulations, and policies while accomplishing agency conservation and management goals. Covered activities include documentation and reporting of North Carolina marine fisheries research and monitoring programs, statistics programs, and artificial reef programs. The award also supports data management and operations programs, education and outreach initiatives, implementation of fishing access projects under federal assistance, and coordination of coastal recreational fishing license grant programs.

The period of performance extends through December 31, 2030, with place of performance in North Carolina. Sport Fish Restoration funding derives from excise taxes on motorboat fuel, certain electric motors, fishing equipment, and import duties on fishing tackle and yachts, deposited into the Sport Fish Restoration Trust Fund and apportioned annually to state agencies under a legislatively established formula. Eligible recipients are state agencies with lead management responsibility for fish and wildlife resources that have passed assent language; participation is limited to these entities.

Funds under this grant award will be used to coordinate and plan federal assistance activities to ensure that federal funds are used in accordance with applicable federal and state laws, regulations and policies, and to accomplish agency goals for the conservation, restoration, and management of the state's marine fisheries. Coordination will ensure that proper guidelines are followed for documenting and reporting north carolina marine fisheries research and monitoring programs as well as the statistics programs and artificial reef programs. Additional programs include data management and operations programs as well as education and outreach programs. Implementation of fishing access projects under federal assistance and coastal recreational fishing license grant programs is also coordinated as part of this program.