The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the National Sea Grant College Program are pleased to announce the competition for the prestigious 2026/27 NMFS-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Program in Marine Population and Ecosystem Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics.
About the NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship
Established to address the acute national and international demand for highly skilled quantitative scientists, this flagship fellowship equips doctoral candidates with hands-on research experience in the assessment and sustainable management of living marine resources. Fellows work closely with university advisors and NOAA Fisheries mentors at regional science centers across the United States.
Core Fellowship Concentrations
- Population and Ecosystem Dynamics (PED): Focuses on quantitative models of marine fish and invertebrate populations, age-structured stock assessment models (Stock Synthesis, WHAM), multispecies ecosystem interactions, and predicting the demographic impacts of changing ocean conditions.
- Marine Resource Economics (MRE): Emphasizes quantitative bioeconomic modeling, regulatory compliance analysis, catch-share market structures, evaluation of fishing fleet behaviors, and economic assessment of marine spatial closures and marine protected areas.
- Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM): Integrating trophic models, ocean climate indices, and environmental covariates into operational fisheries management frameworks.
- Novel Quantitative Tools: Application of machine learning, acoustic sonar analytics, and Bayesian hierarchical modeling to pelagic and demersal marine survey datasets.
Fellowship Award & Financial Package
| Concentration | Duration | Annual Financial Award |
|---|---|---|
| Population & Ecosystem Dynamics (PED) | Up to 3 Years | $62,500 per year ($46,000 living stipend, $10,500 tuition and fees, $6,000 research travel and NOAA center collaboration allowance). |
| Marine Resource Economics (MRE) | Up to 3 Years | $62,500 per year ($46,000 living stipend, $10,500 tuition and fees, $6,000 research travel and NOAA center collaboration allowance). |
Eligibility Requirements
- Prospective fellows must be admitted to or currently enrolled in a doctoral degree program in quantitative fisheries science, marine biology, biological oceanography, applied mathematics, biostatistics, or natural resource economics at an accredited university in the United States.
- International students enrolled in participating US degree-granting academic institutions are eligible to apply through their local state Sea Grant program.
- Candidates must demonstrate strong foundational coursework in statistics, calculus, programming (R, Python, C++), and marine population ecology.
Application Process
Applications must be submitted through local state Sea Grant programs (e.g., California Sea Grant, Washington Sea Grant, Woods Hole Sea Grant). Candidates should compile a comprehensive research proposal, CV, official transcripts, and letters of recommendation from their university mentor and prospective NOAA Fisheries scientist mentor.
For complete funding announcements, application templates, and regional submission deadlines, visit the NOAA Sea Grant fellowship portal at seagrant.noaa.gov.