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Sea Grant Answers Your Quesions
What is the National Sea Grant Program?
Sea Grant was created by Congress in 1966 under
federal law (PL 89-688) and modeled after the successful Land Grant College concept
enacted by Congress in 1863 "to provide education and disseminate research
for the common man." The basic Land Grant concept was applied when Sea Grant
was authorized, although while Land Grant focuses on agriculture, Sea Grant places
its emphasis on coastal and marine issues. Sea Grant is a partnership consisting
of academia, government and industry. The program operates through a university-based
network of approximately 300 institutions to address environmental and economic
issues in the coastal and marine waters of the nation through research, outreach
and education.
What is the mission of the National Sea Grant Program?
Sea Grant promotes and sponsors research, education
and outreach programs aimed at the wise utilization and conservation of the nation's
coastal and marine resources in order to develop and maintain a sustainable economy
and a healthy environment.
How does the Texas Sea Grant College Program operate?
The Texas Sea Grant College Program is one of 31
such programs, the members of which represent all the coastal states of the continental
U.S., Hawaii, the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and
those states bordering the Great Lakes. The program is housed at Texas A&M
University, but works with academic institutions, agencies and industries throughout
the state. The program involves marine-related research, marine advisory services
and communications. It operates a competitive research program at institutions
of higher education within the state. Core support comes from the federal government
through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the Department
of Commerce and with support from the Texas Legislature and the host institution.
How are research priorities set and funds allocated?
Research priorities are established with input
from an advisory committee. That committee, made up of persons affiliated with
state and federal agencies, academia and the private sector, examines the state's
research, education and outreach needs relative to the coastal and marine environment
and establishes a list of priority research areas. Items on the list involve
researchable questions or address researchable problems that satisfy a public
need; thus, the research is generally problem-oriented. The priority list from
the Advisory Committee is utilized to establish programmatic goals for each two-year
funding cycle. Requests for preproposals are prepared and distributed to academic
researchers throughout the state. Each preproposal is evaluated to determine
if it addresses a priority area, is scientifically rigorous and can be applied
to resolve the issue.
Authors of qualifying preproposals are encouraged
to submit full proposals. Each full proposal is subjected to peer review by several
experts in the field covered by the proposal. A panel of experts is then convened
to rank the full proposals based on their own reviews and the results of the
peer reviews. The committee ranks the proposals and makes its recommendations
to the Director of the program. In most cases available funds are exhausted before
all proposals that receive very good to excellent reviews can be incorporated
into the final Omnibus Proposal. Recently, one-third to one-half of submitted
full proposals have been successful.
Sea Grant is a matching funds program; qualifying
proposals must include $1 in match for each $2 requested.
What process is used to establish budgets for the other Texas
Sea Grant activities?
The National Sea Grant Office has a policy of wanting
50 percent of the federal dollars available to each state program to be utilized
in support of research. The Marine Advisory Service (MAS), Marine Information
Service (MIS) and Sea Grant Administration are the other areas that require financial
support. Each unit submits proposed budgets that are incorporated into the Omnibus
Proposal. Peer reviews of the MAS and MIS proposals are solicited by each of
those units. Budget requests are based upon salary requirements and proposed
activities and are revised annually. The MAS is involved in educational programs,
workshops, demonstrations and related activities, while the MIS produces publications
and news releases on Sea Grant and related activities. The Administration coordinates
all activities involved in proposal development, fiscal management and supervision
of Sea Grant personnel.
What are some recent research and advisory priorities of the
Texas Sea Grant College Program?
In past years, the Program has supported research
in aquaculture, biotechnology, environmental studies, fisheries and marine education.
Two priority areas were identified for the 2001-2004 funding cycles coastal ecosystem
health and coastal economic development and those priorities will continue through
the 2004-2006 cycle. MAS has specialists who work in the areas of aquaculture,
education, environment, fisheries, marine business, marine policy, seafood technology,
and ports and harbors. MAS' county agents have recently been involved with developing
aeration systems for marinas, teaching boaters how to use sewage pumpout facilities,
developing live bait holding systems, working with the shrimping industry on
the incorporation of bycatch reduction devices in their nets, marine education,
and a wide variety of other activities. The Sea Grant Floating Classroom Program
began in 2002, providing on-board educational opportunities on the 57-foot converted
trawler KARMA. Highlights of Program activities can be found on the website: http://texas-sea-grant.tamu.edu.
What is the average annual budget for the Texas
Sea Grant College Program?
Funding varies from year to year. The federal contribution
to the core budget is nearly $2 million, with another approximately $500,000
coming from the state legislature and Texas A&M University. The core is typically
augmented by one or more Knauss Fellowships of $38,000 per year, and grants and
contracts obtained through national competitions plus those obtained by Sea Grant
personnel from other agencies. Recently, MAS and MIS personnel have obtained
support from such agencies as Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas General
Land Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency
and National Marine Fisheries Service.
Does the Texas Sea Grant Program ever have resources
in addition to the core funding?
Yes. Most of the problems that researchers, as
well as marine advisory agents and specialists, work on require more resources
than are available from the core grant. There are, in addition, annual calls
for proposals from the National Sea Grant Office that funds a series of national
initiatives. MAS personnel have been successful in obtaining monetary support,
goods and services for their activities from a variety of state and federal agencies
as well as foundations and industry. Sea Grant investigators, agents and specialists
are encouraged to develop interdisciplinary teams and to meld resources as a
means of enhancing the quality and productivity of their programs.
Who are the clientele served by Sea Grant?
The Texas Sea Grant College Program serves a diverse
array of clients. Examples include federal, state and local governments and agencies;
environmental and industry trade organizations; institutions of higher education;
K-12 teachers and students; numerous special interest groups involved with coastal
issues; 4-H groups; tourists; senior citizens and the general public.
How many people does Sea Grant serve?
Because of diversity within the Texas Sea Grant
College Program, precise figures are not available. Sea Grant activities range
from individual contacts, service on committees, presentations to various groups,
and the production and distribution of publications. Sea Grant's internal database
has documented that more than 30,000 individuals are directly reached each year
through more than 300 presentations, workshops, field trips, demonstration projects
and seminars. The number reached through news releases, publications, meeting
participation and trade shows, if known, would certainly increase the number
of individuals reached by several-fold.
How can I obtain additional information on the Texas
Sea Grant College Program?
You can call us at (979) 845-3854, fax us at (979)
845-7525, e-mail at pfoster@tamu.edu, go to the website: http://texas-sea-grant.tamu.edu,
or mail your requests or questions to:
Texas Sea Grant College Program
2700 Earl Rudder Freeway South, Suite 1800
College Station, TX 77845
Publication supported in part by Institutional Grant NA16RG1078
to Texas A&M University by the National Sea Grant Program,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department
of Commerce.
TAMU-SG-03-601 February 2003 NA16RG1078
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