Smelts Sea Mammal Education Learning Technology Society

Smelts Sea Mammal Education Learning Technology Society, operating as Smelts, is a non-profit organization specializing in the development and testing of innovative fishing technologies aimed at reducing harmful interactions between commercial fisheries and marine mammals. Registered to receive federal awards since January 2018, Smelts has established itself as a key partner for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in advancing ropeless fishing systems, also known as buoyless or on-demand fishing gear. These technologies are designed to minimize the risk of marine mammal entanglement in fishing lines while maintaining sustainable fishing practices. Smelts' expertise lies in creating, implementing, and evaluating advanced fishing systems crucial for protecting endangered species such as the North Atlantic right whale.

Through federal contracts, Smelts has primarily supplied NOAA with buoyless/ropeless fishing systems for operational testing and familiarization by fishermen. The organization has received several significant contract awards from NOAA, including two definitive contracts valued at $5.2 million and $4.4 million, both awarded in July 2022 and set to run through June 2027. These contracts aim to provide additional ropeless fishing systems identical to those already tested and owned by NOAA, supporting the agency's research efforts in developing new fishing restrictions to protect whales under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. In August 2024, Smelts was awarded another substantial contract worth $6,837,187 for supplying up to 20 deck systems and 50 underwater acoustic release systems to NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Additionally, Smelts received a smaller purchase order of $111,246 in September 2020 for similar buoyless/ropeless systems. Notably, these contract awards did not have any set-aside designations, indicating that Smelts competed for these contracts in an open market.

Smelts has also been awarded multiple federal grants to further its work in developing and testing ropeless fishing technologies. Recent grant awards include a $248,087 cooperative agreement in January 2024 under NOAA's Unallied Science Program to build new lobster rafts integrating seafloor and surface marking technologies, and a $433,648 cooperative agreement in January 2023 to develop and test ropeless lift-bag technology. A significant project grant of $543,846 was awarded in December 2022 under the Fisheries Development and Utilization Research and Development Grants Program to develop and deliver ropeless lobster fishing gear to commercial fishermen in Maine and Massachusetts. In January 2022, Smelts received a $246,458 cooperative agreement to advance ropeless fishing technology in the Gulf of Maine. These grants support Smelts' efforts to reduce marine mammal entanglements while allowing for sustainable fishing practices. Additionally, Smelts has received sub-grant awards through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to test and evaluate ropeless lift bag fishing gear, further demonstrating its commitment to developing innovative solutions for marine conservation and its ability to collaborate with various stakeholders in the fishing industry.