Funds under this grant award will be used to administer a pilot project in puerto rico designed to expand mooring opportunities for transient, recreational vessels over 26 feet in length

The Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI FWS) Region 4 awarded $400,000 in Project Grant funding under the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act (CFDA 15.622) to the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources to establish and operate a pilot mooring infrastructure project near Fajardo, Puerto Rico. The award, effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028, will support the installation, monitoring, maintenance, and administrative management of mooring buoys at strategic locations designed to expand recreational boating access for transient vessels exceeding 26 feet in length.

The project deliverables encompass infrastructure development and operational management activities that enhance boating recreational opportunities for eligible transient boaters utilizing Fajardo's multiple marinas while promoting sustainable boating practices and ensuring long-term infrastructure sustainability. These services include the physical deployment of mooring buoy systems, ongoing maintenance and monitoring protocols, and administrative coordination necessary to support the recreational boating community throughout the three-year performance period.

The project will support the monitoring, maintenance, and administrative management of mooring buoys in strategic locations near fajardo, puerto rico. The project aims to enhance boating recreational opportunities for eligible, transient boaters based in the multiple marinas in fajardo, ensure the sustainability of boating infrastructure, and promote sustainable boating practices.