Aquaculture Research Gets $15 Million Annual Boost Through 2029: New Rules for Overhead Costs Kick In

This bill, the Promoting American Competition in Aquaculture Research Act, focuses on locking in funding for U.S. aquaculture research programs and adjusting how those programs handle administrative costs. Simply put, it reauthorizes the existing grant program, ensuring it receives $15,000,000 annually for five straight fiscal years, running from 2025 through 2029. If you’re in the business of farming fish, shellfish, or aquatic plants, this means stability and a guaranteed stream of federal research dollars for the next half-decade.

The Long-Term Catch: Securing Research Dollars

For anyone working in the aquaculture industry—from oyster farmers to large-scale fish producers—this is a big deal because it takes the guesswork out of funding. Research grants in this area cover everything from developing disease-resistant fish strains to finding more sustainable feed alternatives. By setting aside $15 million a year, the bill ensures that universities, private labs, and researchers can plan long-term projects that actually move the needle on American competitiveness in aquatic food production. It’s the kind of reliable investment that helps keep domestic food costs stable and supports innovation in a growing sector.

The Fine Print: Changing How Overhead is Paid

Section 2 also includes a subtle but important change to how grant recipients get paid for their overhead—or “indirect costs.” Indirect costs are things like utilities, administrative staff salaries, and building maintenance that keep the lights on while the research happens. Currently, these aquaculture awards have specific limitations on how much overhead they can claim (found in Section 1473 of the existing law). This bill removes those specific limitations and instead makes the awards subject to the general indirect cost rules found in Section 1462.

Think of it this way: The government is switching the rulebook for how much administrative money a university can claim when they win one of these grants. For the researchers themselves, this change might not matter much, but for the university’s financial office, it’s a crucial detail. Depending on the difference between the old rules (Section 1473) and the new rules (Section 1462), some institutions might find they can claim more overhead, while others might find the reimbursement rate slightly lower. The goal here seems to be administrative simplification—making the aquaculture grants follow the same overhead rules as other similar research grants—but it’s something research institutions will need to watch closely to ensure their budgets still balance.