Grant Announcement: NOAA Collaborates with Association to Present Innovative Aquaculture Awareness Mini-Grants, Enhancing Public Education and Outreach
In a significant move to promote aquaculture education and outreach, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) have joined forces to fund 10 aquaculture literacy projects in 2021. The exact details of these projects, however, are not readily available in the current search results.
The partnership, known as eeBLUE, is a $5 million, five-year initiative aimed at building collaborative partnerships that support the mutual environmental education goals of NOAA and NAAEE. The grants will provide an opportunity for each project's audience to participate in high-quality programming that pairs aquaculture communication needs with existing research.
The projects will be distributed to 10 projects serving 6 states, with each project implementing locally relevant aquaculture literacy projects that enhance understanding and engagement in aquaculture in their region. The grants aim to increase public understanding of aquaculture and address gaps in aquaculture literacy.
NOAA Fisheries, a U.S. government agency, enriches life through science and affects more than one-third of America's gross domestic product. It provides products and services that support economic vitality and affect various sectors, including fisheries management, coastal restoration, and marine commerce.
The North American Association for Environmental Education, which has served as the professional association for environmental education for five decades, will administer the eeBLUE initiative. NAAEE works with EE professionals across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as globally, to promote high-quality STEM education and provide education and outreach for educators and other audiences.
The eeBLUE initiative will also support the mutual STEM education goals of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Department of Education. It aims to create a more environmentally literate society and strengthen professional networks.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Education works to advance education both within NOAA and with the public, providing scholarships, collaborating with universities, offering competitive grants, and establishing partnerships.
While the specifics of the 10 projects funded under the eeBLUE initiative in 2021 are not currently available, it is known that NOAA Fisheries supports aquaculture development and education through various programs, including the Sea Grant Aquaculture Program, which funds research and outreach aimed at sustainable marine aquaculture.
For those seeking more information about the funded projects, direct inquiry to NOAA Fisheries or NAAEE, or accessing a dedicated report or press release from 2021 that lists those projects specifically, would be advisable.
Environmental-science and education-and-self-development intertwine within the eeBLUE initiative, a collaborative project between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). This $5 million, five-year endeavor aims to enhance environmental education by pairing high-quality aquaculture programming with existing research, fostering a more environmentally literate society and strengthening professional networks.
