Approved...again!

 

It's been a bit longer than I'd like since my last announcement. As you might recall, the last Lab Note announced that we had received the Brazilian paperwork allowing us to export the samples. We just needed the matching paperwork from the US to allow us to send the samples here to the US for analysis.

I'm happy to announce that we have received that paperwork, called a Letter of Determination, from NOAA. This letter covers all but a small handful of more recent samples that will require a more intensive Endangered Species Act permit. We have also been given authorization for three exciting historical samples from Venezuela to add to our collection.

This is exciting news for sure! We're one step closer.

Of course, as I am learning, this process can be confusing and time-consuming. We had to let the Brazilian paperwork lapse (this permit has a time limit, the NOAA authorization is forever). There were problems with the species common and Latin names in the application system and we found a few naming problems in our own samples that needed to be sorted. That has all been sorted out so our next step is to re-apply for the Brazilian permit. We believe this will be relatively quick since we have already applied once and received it.

 

Save Our Seas Foundation Grant Application

In other news, we have applied to the Save Our Seas Foundation Keystone Grant and we were subsequently invited to the second round application. Being invited to the second round is awesome news. It means our project is being seriously considered for funding. This, in addition to the money you all have donated, would cover the cost of all of the analysis we had planned as well as other analysis we hadn't even dreamed up when you all made this project possible with your donations.

I will keep you updated on the progress of the project and this grant application as we learn more.

Thanks for staying in touch,

Jens