This project supports supplies and contractual services for the operation and maintenance of the state-owned research vessels r/v lady lillian and r/v palmetto, which conduct the coastal trawl…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded the Natural Resources South Carolina Department $825,000 on September 1, 2026, under the Congressionally Identified Awards and Projects program (CFDA 11.469) to support supplies and contractual services for the operation and maintenance of two state-owned research vessels, R/V Lady Lillian and R/V Palmetto.

The vessels conduct the Coastal Trawl Survey and the Southeastern Reef Fish Survey, two long-term fishery-independent surveys throughout the southeastern United States from North Carolina to Florida. The surveys generate fishery-independent data on abundance, distribution, habitat use, size, age, and reproductive condition of commercially and recreationally important marine species. These data are essential for fisheries stock assessments and inform management decisions supporting sustainable fisheries and public access to marine resources. The vessels also serve as a platform for artificial reef material deployment to create habitat for reef species including snappers and groupers. Funding supports vessel maintenance and repairs, fuel, and other operational costs necessary to safely and reliably conduct the surveys.

Work is performed in Columbia, South Carolina, with operations throughout the southeastern coastal region. The award runs through August 31, 2030.

This project supports supplies and contractual services for the operation and maintenance of the state-owned research vessels r/v lady lillian and r/v palmetto, which conduct the coastal trawl survey (CTS) and the southeastern reef fish survey (serfs), two long-term fishery-independent surveys throughout the southeastern united states from north carolina to florida. These surveys provide critical scientific information on the abundance, distribution, habitat use, size, age, and reproductive condition of commercially and recreationally important marine species. The data collected through these programs are essential for fisheries stock assessments and informed management decisions that support sustainable fisheries and continued public access to marine resources. The vessels also provide a platform for the deployment of artificial reef material, creating habitat for recreationally and commercially important reef species like snappers and groupers. Funding will support vessel maintenance and repairs, fuel, and other operational costs necessary to safely and reliably conduct these surveys that are critical for regional fisheries management.