As the first salmon swam up the Klamath River for the first time in a century following the largest dam removal project in history, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that it will provide up to $75 million for more projects to restore passages that fish historically used to complete their life and spawning cycles.
Every year, millions of fish migrate to their spawning and rearing habitats to reproduce. Some fish need to swim thousands of miles through oceans and rivers to reach their destinations. They are often blocked from completing their journey by barriers like dams and culverts. When fish can’t reach their habitat, they can’t reproduce and maintain or grow their populations. As a result, many fish populations have declined.
NOAA works to reopen these migratory pathways, restoring access to healthy habitat for fish. The organization’s efforts help recover threatened and endangered migratory fish and support the sustainability of commercial and recreational fisheries. They can also eliminate or reduce public safety hazards, improve climate resilience, and provide opportunities for recreation such as fishing and boating.
The $75 million in funding is available through Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal. This funding will support the locally led removal of dams and other in-stream barriers. Selected projects will sustain the nation’s fisheries and contribute to the recovery of threatened and endangered species. They may also provide community and economic benefits, such as jobs and climate resilience.
NOAA will accept proposals between $750,000 and $8 million for the entire award, with typical funding anticipated to range from $3 million to $5 million. Applications are due by February 10, 2025.
Concurrently, up to $20 million in funding is available for fish passage and tribal capacity building through the Restoring Tribal Priority Fish Passage through Barrier Removal funding opportunity. This funding will support U.S. federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and tribal organizations in implementing on-the-ground fish passage work and in building tribal organizational capacity.
Selected projects will reopen migratory pathways and restore access to healthy habitat for tribally important species. They may also enhance community climate resilience by removing or improving aging infrastructure.
NOAA will accept proposals between $300,000 and $6 million for the entire award, with typical funding anticipated to range from $500,000 to $4 million. Applications are due by February 27, 2025.
Tribes are eligible to apply to both funding opportunities.
When the dams were breached on the Klamath River and the first fish began to appear, The Associated Press reported, Yurok tribal member and attorney Amy Bowers Cordalis said, “It was surreal. It was so emotional. I felt so hopeful and so satisfied that we have restored this river…. And looking at it you could almost hear the river crying, ‘I am free, I am free.’”
