Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced it will award up to a total of $1 million for seven recommended multi-year projects supporting remote Alaska communities through the Alaska Fisheries Science Center Indigenous Engagement Program. This investment is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, a crucial part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda.
The recommended projects will advance NOAA Fisheries’ ability to support climate resilience and food security in remote Alaska communities, engage Indigenous Knowledge-holder voices in NOAA Fisheries’ science and management and strengthen collaborations with tribal governments and Indigenous communities. The first year of funding will be distributed in the coming months and totals approximately $500,000.
“This investment, made possible thanks to President Biden’s historic Inflation Reduction Act, will expand NOAA’s efforts to create new partnerships, internships and educational opportunities in remote communities across Alaska to help address the impacts of climate change, ensure just treatment and respect from tribal sovereignty and provide climate resiliency benefits across all communities,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.
NOAA Fisheries recommends approximate funding amounts for the first year of the following projects:
- The University of Alaska Fairbanks ($89,000) plans to support the Alaska Arctic Observatory and Knowledge Hub’s development of new education, outreach and communication strategies and products — such as a multimedia StoryMap — around Indigenous Knowledge and marine resources in a rapidly-changing Arctic. The project aims to facilitate knowledge-sharing workshops with Hub observers to incorporate Indigenous Knowledge in NOAA Fisheries’ management of marine resources.
- The University of Alaska Fairbanks ($99,000) also plans to elevate Indigenous Knowledge and perspectives from underserved Alaska Native communities in ice seal co-management and recovery planning for ringed and bearded seals through the Ice Seal Committee and Alaska Arctic Observatory and Knowledge Hub. The project will leverage existing Indigenous Knowledge networks and build partnerships to guide NOAA Fisheries in the equitable engagement of Indigenous partners and advance understanding of the climate resilience of ice seals.
- Sealaska Heritage Institute ($110,000) plans to use Indigenous Knowledge to document changes in the oceanographic processes and marine ecosystems from human and climate-related impacts in order to understand their effects on subsistence resource systems in Native communities in Southeast Alaska. This knowledge could be used to develop a mapping and monitoring methodology and form a cohort of Indigenous Knowledge experts for future collaborations.
- The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska ($67,000) intends to add a relationship-building and knowledge-sharing component to their Southeast Tribal Environmental Forum and will use the funding to address several common barriers faced by tribal environmental professionals across Southeast Alaska. These efforts will help encourage tribal support and representation in the Forum and get closer to achieving the goal of collectively addressing marine and coastal concerns and priorities.
- The Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association ($54,000) plans to implement a network of river water monitoring stations along the lower Yukon River to collect data important to the management of Pacific salmon, and for the health and well-being of people in lower river communities. This research will document the winter habitat use of juvenile Chinook salmon.
- The University of Alaska Fairbanks ($47,000) plans to work with Indigenous partners to build their use of environmental DNA as a resource management tool. This work will strengthen the existing research partnership in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim region, support autonomy for Indigenous communities engaging with NOAA Fisheries and help aid salmon research.
- Kawerak, Inc. and the Caleb Scholars Program ($34,000) intend to support an annual gathering for program participants to share insights related to conservation advocacy and facilitate engagement with peers, mentors, guest speakers and members of the community. The advocacy work of Caleb Scholars helps ensure Indigenous input is part of creating policy, management practices, climate-informed studies and research in the Arctic. This gathering will be an opportunity for participants to strengthen and rejuvenate vital connections to their families, community and land.
“We are excited to support these important research projects, which advance equity and environmental justice while enabling NOAA Fisheries to meet our research mission,” said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to building climate resilience in communities on the front lines of climate change in the Arctic, and Indigenous Knowledge is essential to this effort.”
NOAA Fisheries first announced this funding opportunity in February 2024, indicating that initial funding would be available, with the potential for approximately $500,000 in additional funding available to support ongoing work in future years. This funding is part of the historic $3.3 billion Inflation Reduction Act investments first announced in June 2023, which are focused on ensuring America’s communities and economies are ready for and resilient to climate change.
Visit the Inflation Reduction Act website to learn about current and future funding opportunities.
Media contact
Andrea Wasilew, NMFS.PA@noaa.gov, (541) 639-5002
