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2015 Aquatic Nuisance Species Request for Proposals

 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will have limited funding available this year ($100K – 200K) for aquatic nuisance species (ANS) work. These funds will be used to support 5-10 grants, cooperative agreements, and/or interagency service agreements, ranging in size from $10K – 25K, however, larger requests will be accepted. The time frame for this work will be May 1, 2015 – September 30, 2016 (Though, the start date is dependent on when funds are made available).

 

Proposals are requested that seek to develop and implement technology and approaches to prevent the introduction, slow the spread, eradicate, and/or control ANS in the Southeast U.S., the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

 

Examples of project study areas include, but are not limited, to:

• Studies on established non-native species to understand the ecological, evolutionary, and physiological adaptations that explain why a species is invasive in one geographic region and not in another.
• Investigations of the influences of ANS (lionfish, Asian tiger shrimp, snakeheads, Asian carp, orange cup coral, zebra/quagga mussels, etc.) on native ecosystems, including, but not limited to, age/growth research, studies to locate larval production/recruitment hotspots, habitat preferences, effects of removal, and investigations into their impacts on native species.
• Expansion of documentation of harms caused by ANS, beyond the current focus on ecological, economic, and human health effects to include critical social issues, such as environmental justice, equitable distribution of costs and benefits, and unsustainable behavior arising from extensive and long-lasting costs.
• Implementation of the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership’s (SARP) Black bass initiative by addressing ANS (e.g., eDNA, control, education outreach to specific user-groups for targeted changes in behavior, etc.).
• Increase systematic work on ANS that are difficult to identify.
• Implementing tasks in the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force’s (ANSTF) Asian Carp National Management Plan.
• Climate modeling and prioritization of high risk areas for future ANS introductions.
• Assessments of methods of DNA analysis for early detection of ANS.
• Assessments of novel chemical, biological, and mechanical control methods for the control of ANS.
• Use of new technologies that make monitoring zebra mussels or other ANS at large spatial scales more efficient (e.g., predictive models).
• Development and implementation of monitoring networks that use risk assessments to provide cost-effective site selection.
• Pathway risk assessments related to recreational boaters and receiving waters.
• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) planning and implementation.
• Implementation of Habitattitude/Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers partnerships.
• Control and decontamination techniques for vectors.

The USFWS is requesting short proposals (2 pages or less) with the following components:

• Period of Performance (timeline)
• Project Title
• Principle Investigator/Agency/Co-PIs
• Project Description (including a thorough description of the Problem/Situation, Methods that will be conducted to achieve project goals, Products/Expected Outcome, etc.)
• A Clear explanation of the Project Need (how it addresses needs identified by SARP, in ANS state plans, GSARP priorities, MRBP priorities, ANSTF National Management/ Control plans, species specific control plans)
• Funds Requested and Match (match not required)

 

Proposal review and selection procedures:

 

All non-federal proposals will be provided to the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC). The proposals will be reviewed and ranked by a Committee comprised of members of the Gulf and South Atlantic Regional Panel (GSARP) on Aquatic Invasive Species of the National ANSTF. The Committee’s rankings will be provided to the USFWS Southeast Regional Office for their consideration, and the Regional Office will provide final approval of the proposal rankings. Once the proposal rankings have been finalized, the GSMFC will issue and provide administrative oversight of the 2015 non-federal grant awards for the USFWS Regional Office.

 

All Federal proposals will be reviewed and ranked by the USFWS Regional Office and all associated grant awards will be issued and administered by the Regional Office.

 

If requested by the applicant, proposals that are not selected to receive funding from this opportunity will be retained for other potential funding opportunities, such as funding that becomes available at the end of the fiscal year.

 

The deadline to submit proposals is March 31^st 2015. Please submit proposals by email to Chester Figiel (USFWS Southeast Regional Office). If you have any questions please feel free to contact Chester Figiel or James Ballard (GSMFC).

 

 

Chester R. Figiel, Jr., PhD

Supervisory Fish Biologist

Warm Springs Fish Technology Center

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

5151 Springs Street

Warm Springs, GA 31830

706.655.3382 ext. 1244

706.424.0881 (cell)

chester_figiel@fws.gov

 

 

James R. Ballard

Sport Fish Restoration Administrative and

Aquatic Invasive Species Program Coordinator

Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission

2404 Government Street

Ocean Springs, MS 39564

Tel: (228)-875-5912

Fax: (228)-875-6604

jballard@gsmfc.org