Louisiana Sea Grant

What Louisiana Sea Grant does

Louisiana Sea Grant (LSG) is a university-based research, education, and outreach program based at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Established in 1968, LSG became the nation's thirteenth designated Sea Grant College in August 1978 and operates as part of the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program, a federal-state network of 34 programs in coastal and Great Lakes states. The organization's mission centers on promoting stewardship of Louisiana's coastal resources through integrated programs spanning applied research, extension education, law and policy analysis, K-12 STEM education, and science communication.

LSG's core technical assets include the Oyster Research Lab and Michael C. Voisin Oyster Hatchery on Grand Isle — described as the largest oyster research lab along the U.S. Gulf coast by larval rearing capacity — and the Seafood Processing Demonstration Lab at the LSU AgCenter Iberia Research Station in Jeanerette. Its research portfolio spans competitive grant cycles (including a 2026-2028 Omnibus Research Program), aquaculture development, coastal hazard mitigation, fisheries bycatch reduction, and legal/policy analysis. LSG maintains a field-based extension agent network physically embedded across approximately 19 Louisiana coastal parishes, providing direct technical assistance to commercial fishermen, seafood processors, oyster farmers, and coastal residents. Educational programming ranges from graduate-level assistantships (CSAP, ARRAP, UROP, GIRAF) to K-12 initiatives like Ocean Commotion, Coastal Roots, and Marsh Maneuvers.

The program operates on a non-commercial public service model. Core services, publications, and educational resources are provided free of charge, funded primarily by federal NOAA appropriations with state matching funds and supplementary competitive grants from agencies such as the U.S. EPA, Louisiana CPRA, LDWF, and private partners including Shell. Revenue streams are essentially appropriation-based rather than sales-based, with discretionary grantmaking as a secondary funding mechanism. LSG's 2019 NOAA Program Review rated the program as "highest performance: exceeds expectations by an exceptional margin in most areas/aspects."

Name

Louisiana Sea Grant

Legal name

Louisiana Sea Grant College Program

Website

https://laseagrant.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Louisiana Sea Grant is a federal-state research, education, and extension program at LSU that serves Louisiana's coastal communities, commercial seafood industry, K-12 educators, and government agencies through field-based extension agents, competitive research grants, and educational programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Coastal Research and Extension Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117), Aquaculture (11251), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seafood & Aquaculture Certification Services (MSC/ASC/BAP) (AFALAMAL), Grantmaking Agencies & Education Program Grants Administration (EDADAHAD)

Keywords

• Coastal research programs
• Marine extension services
• Fisheries education programs
• Aquaculture research support
• Coastal policy analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisiana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Federal Appropriations (NOAA/National Sea Grant): Louisiana Sea Grant is a publicly funded program primarily supported by annual federal appropriations through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Sea Grant College Program. Funding is distributed through competitive peer-reviewed research programs, with additional state matching funds.
2. Competitive Research Grants: LSG issues competitive research funding through its Omnibus Research Program (two-year cycles) and Program Development projects. The competitive research program for 2026-2028 has a funding cycle beginning February 1, 2026 through January 31, 2028. Additional competitive initiatives include CSAP (Coastal Science Assistantship Program) funded by the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), ARRAP (Artificial Reef Research Assistantship Program) funded by LDWF, and GIRAF (Graduate Interjurisdictional Research Award Fellowship) co-funded with Louisiana Space Grant.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Louisiana Sea Grant is a research, education, and outreach program based at Louisiana State University that delivers coastal resource stewardship through marine extension services in coastal parishes, competitive research funding, K-12 and graduate education programs, fisheries and aquaculture support, and law & policy analysis. Its portfolio includes named fellowship and scholarship programs (GIRAF, CSAP, UROP, Van Lopik Scholarship, FSLP), signature education events (Ocean Commotion, Coastal Roots, Marsh Maneuvers), seafood industry services (Seafood Processing Demonstration Lab, Louisiana Direct Seafood, Louisiana Fisheries Forward), and applied research facilities including the Oyster Research Lab and Michael C. Voisin Oyster Hatchery on Grand Isle.

Product overview

Louisiana Sea Grant is a research, education, and outreach organization (not a technology product company) that operates as part of NOAA's National Sea Grant Program. Its portfolio consists of fellowship and scholarship programs (GIRAF, CSAP, UROP, Van Lopik Scholarship, FSLP), educational initiatives (Ocean Commotion, Coastal Roots, Marsh Maneuvers, EnvironMentors, LaDIA), seafood industry support services (Seafood Processing Demonstration Lab, Louisiana Direct Seafood, Louisiana Fisheries Forward, Alternative Oyster Culture Program), fisheries technology programs (Better Bycatch Reduction Devices, Harbor of Refuge), and communication products (Coastal Clips newsletter, Lagniappe Fisheries Newsletter, Voices of the Coast media project, Louisiana Fisheries Website). These offerings work together to fulfill the organization's mission of promoting stewardship of Louisiana's coastal resources through integrated research, education, and outreach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Seafood Processing Demonstration Lab Hands-on training facility providing fishermen and small seafood processors with practical instruction on commercial-scale processing equipment including vacuum packing machines, meat grinders, fish skinners, flake ice machines, nano ice machines, and modified atmosphere packaging, supporting food safety, product quality, and secondary product development across Louisiana's seafood industry.
• Louisiana Direct Seafood Marketing initiative connecting Louisiana coastal fishermen directly with consumers and buyers, providing market access for fresh, wild-caught seafood and supporting the viability of small commercial fishing operations.
• Louisiana Fisheries Forward Voluntary educational program for the commercial seafood community delivering training videos, fact sheets, workshops, training days, and demonstration projects showcasing new technology and best practices in seafood harvesting and processing.
• Alternative Oyster Culture (AOC) Program Program enabling oyster cultivation in floating or bottom-placed cages that can be raised and lowered to protect oysters from predators, fouling, and hurricane burial, supporting commercial oyster farmers and aquaculture production in Louisiana.
• Better Bycatch Reduction Devices Program working with NOAA to identify and promote certified bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) for use in the Gulf of Mexico commercial shrimp trawl fishery, helping shrimp fishermen meet turtle and finfish excluder device requirements while preserving catch quality.
• Harbor of Refuge Program developing safe harbors for commercial fishing vessels to tie up during storm events, reducing vessel loss and economic impact on Louisiana's commercial fishing fleet.
• Ocean Commotion Annual environmental education event for K-8 students held at LSU's Pete Maravich Assembly Center featuring coastal and environmental knowledge activities, also engaging teachers and parent chaperones from across Louisiana.
• Coastal Roots Wetland restoration seedling nursery program in which students grow native plants at schools for fall planting in coastal wetland restoration projects, providing hands-on stewardship experience for K-12 classrooms.
• Marsh Maneuvers Four-day summer camp for high school 4-H Club and Junior Leadership members at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge focusing on coastal ecology, wetland loss, and hands-on field science.
• EnvironMentors After-school science mentoring initiative connecting public high school students with LSU undergraduate and graduate mentors for sustained environmental and coastal science research projects.
• LaDIA (Discovery-Integration-Application) Program Research integration program expanding the impact of coastal research on coastal issues through multidisciplinary efforts and strong links with coastal communities, including LaDIA Fellowships, Coastal Connections, and Graduate Research Scholars components.
• Fisheries & Seafood Leadership Program (FSLP) One-year leadership program divided into four two-day workshops for networking and skill-building among emerging leaders in the Louisiana commercial fishing and seafood industry, with tuition of $400 and scholarships available.
• Voices of the Coast Documentary and oral history project preserving stories of Louisiana's coastal communities, culture, and environmental changes through Women of the Bayou profiles, oral history audio recordings and transcripts, Grand Isle Diaries, and historical narratives.
• Louisiana Sea Grant Fisheries Website Comprehensive online resource providing information about Louisiana's fisheries including species, gear, regulations, and environmental context for commercial and recreational fishing stakeholders.
• Coastal Clips Quarterly newsletter covering coastal research, program announcements, industry updates, and stakeholder news for coastal Louisiana audiences.
• Lagniappe Fisheries Newsletter Monthly fisheries newsletter providing commercial and recreational fishing information including species profiles, regulation changes, shrimp landings, and industry news.
• Graduate Interjurisdictional Research Award Fellowship (GIRAF) Joint fellowship with Louisiana Space Grant (LaSPACE) requiring use of NASA and NOAA remote sensing data to address research needs in Louisiana's nearshore and coastal environments, wetlands, and watersheds.
• Coastal Science Assistantship Program (CSAP) Graduate assistantship program administered with funding from the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), supporting M.S. students conducting research relevant to Louisiana coastal protection and restoration.
• Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Program providing undergraduate students with hands-on coastal science research experience and mentorship; Louisiana Sea Grant has funded more than 200 UROP projects since 1992.
• Van Lopik Superior Graduate Student Research Scholarship Graduate scholarship supporting students pursuing degrees in disciplines related to coastal resources, established by Dr. Jack Van Lopik (first and longest-serving LSG Director, retired 2005) and his wife.

Quantifiable outcome

• LSG has funded more than 200 UROP projects since 1992
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Louisiana State University (LSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSU is the host institution for Louisiana Sea Grant, which is based at LSU. LSG operates as an integrated program of LSU, and LSU provides administrative infrastructure, faculty appointments, and institutional support. LSU was designated the nation's thirteenth Sea Grant College in 1978.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) / National Sea Grant ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSG is part of the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program, a network of 34 programs in coastal and Great Lakes states and Puerto Rico. NOAA provides federal appropriations and programmatic oversight. The National Sea Grant Office conducted LSG's 2019 Program Review rating it 'highest performance: exceeds expectations by an exceptional margin.'
• LSU Agricultural Center (LSU AgCenter)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSG's extension program is administered by the LSU AgCenter's Extension Service. Many LSG staff hold joint appointments with the AgCenter, and extension agents serve as LSU AgCenter personnel working across Louisiana parishes. The Seafood Processing Demonstration Lab is an AgCenter facility.
• Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPRA provides funding for the Coastal Science Assistantship Program (CSAP), which LSG administers, providing graduate assistant stipends for up to three years to M.S. students conducting research relevant to Louisiana coastal protection and restoration efforts.
• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLDWF provides funding for the Artificial Reef Research Assistantship Program (ARRAP), which LSG administers. ARRAP provides graduate assistantship stipends of $25,000 annually for up to three years to M.S. students researching topics relevant to the Louisiana Artificial Reef Program (LARP).
• Louisiana Space Grant (LaSPACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSG and LaSPACE jointly offer the Graduate Interjurisdictional Research Award Fellowship (GIRAF), which requires the use of NASA and NOAA data to address research needs in Louisiana's nearshore environs, coastal areas, wetlands, and watersheds. This is a transregional partnership also involving the North Carolina Sea and Space Grant Programs.
• Texas Sea GrantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSG partners with Texas Sea Grant on the Better Bycatch Reduction Devices program for the Gulf commercial shrimp trawl fishery and on the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program graduate fellowship initiative.
• Pontchartrain ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSG partners with the Pontchartrain Conservancy on professional development workshops for middle and high school science educators covering water quality, marine debris, coastal land loss, and related environmental topics.
• Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLUMCON is an academic partner institution and is represented on the LSG Advisory Council. LUMCON provides marine research capabilities complementing LSG's research and education mission.
• McNeese State University, Nicholls State University, Northwestern State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Louisiana Technical College, LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, University of New Orleans, Southern University, Tulane University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Baton Rouge Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSG's academic partner network spans 17+ Louisiana colleges and universities. These partnerships enable student research funding, faculty participation in competitive research programs, and the LaDIA Fellows program for tenure-track faculty conducting coastal research.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NOAA National Sea Grant College Program: Federal umbrella organization that funds all 34 state Sea Grant programs including Louisiana Sea Grant. Conducts program reviews (e.g., the 2019 'highest performance' rating of LSG) and sets national priorities. Not a direct competitor but is the apex institutional counterpart and funding source.

Regional players

• Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana: Louisiana-based nonprofit focused specifically on coastal restoration advocacy, policy, and on-the-ground project implementation. Operates in the same coastal Louisiana geography and serves overlapping stakeholders (coastal residents, policy makers), but with an advocacy rather than research/extension model.

Direct peers

• Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission: Interstate compact commission coordinating marine fisheries management across the five Gulf states (Louisiana is a member state). Highly comparable mission in commercial fisheries support, management research, and interjurisdictional coordination for Gulf species (shrimp, oysters, red drum, reef fish).
• South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium: Clemson-hosted interstate Sea Grant consortium serving South Carolina's coastal zone. Operates the same federal extension/research/education triad as Louisiana Sea Grant with comparable focus on commercial fisheries (shrimp, oysters), aquaculture development, and coastal hazards. Structurally identical program.
• North Carolina Sea Grant: NC State-based Sea Grant program with a documented GIRAF partnership with Louisiana Sea Grant. Operates the same federal extension, research, and education model with comparable fisheries (oyster, blue crab) and aquaculture priorities. Highly analogous structure and funding profile.
• Texas Sea Grant: Texas A&M-based Sea Grant program serving the Texas Gulf coast. Same NOAA-funded model, same extension network structure, and a directly documented partnership with Louisiana Sea Grant on Better BRD and ocean acidification. Most direct peer due to geographic proximity and overlapping fisheries, aquaculture, and coastal priority.
• Florida Sea Grant: University of Florida-based Sea Grant serving the Florida peninsula and panhandle. Direct peer in commercial fisheries support, coastal hazards research, and K-12 marine education; shares Gulf-of-Mexico fisheries management priorities with LSG and runs a comparable extension agent network.
• Maryland Sea Grant: UMD-based Sea Grant covering the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland coastal region. Identical federal program model with comparable fisheries (oyster restoration in particular) and aquaculture portfolio. A cross-regional counterpart to Louisiana Sea Grant with strong federal program alignment.
• Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium: Interstate Sea Grant consortium supporting Mississippi and Alabama coastal communities. Shares the Gulf-of-Mexico focus on commercial fisheries, oyster aquaculture, and coastal resilience, and operates an extension agent model comparable to LSG's. Direct mission overlap in seafood industry support and water quality research.

Emerging players

• Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON): Academic consortium of Louisiana universities focused on marine science research and graduate education. Listed as an LSG Advisory Council member and academic partner. Complementary in mission (research infrastructure) versus LSG's outreach-driven model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LouisianaSeaGrant
• Xx.com/LASeaGrant
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laseagrant

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Louisiana Sea Grant