WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded $1,173,248 in grants to the University of Maine and the Maine Department of Marine Resources in Augusta, U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins announced Thursday. The grants are administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The University of Maine was awarded $1,055,000 to continue the work of Maine Sea Grant to support research, extension and education in the Gulf of Maine region.

The Maine Department of Marine Resources was awarded $118,248 for its investigation into the distribution and abundance of shortnose sturgeon in the Penobscot River. The number of shortnose sturgeon in the river is currently unknown.