The following was released by NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office:
The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office has released details of the FY18 Request for Proposals on fisheries science topics related to the Chesapeake Bay. A total of roughly $500,000, subject to appropriations, may be available to fund new projects.
Applications are due by April 26. The full Federal Funding Opportunity is now available; it includes comprehensive information about eligibility and the application process.
The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office’s NCBO Fisheries Science Program supports research into topics about which Bay resource managers need more information in order to most effectively manage fisheries within their jurisdictions as well as regionally.
NOAA consulted extensively with fishery managers and experts in the area to determine the topic areas for this year’s funding opportunity. In particular, there was interest in exploring links between habitat in the Chesapeake Bay and offshore to the health of two federally managed species—black sea bass and summer flounder. Proposal are sought in two topic areas:
- Examining the role of inshore habitat in offshore productivity: These proposals will identify, characterize, and quantify habitat areas/types that are critical to support the production of black sea bass and summer flounder fisheries.
- Assessing the estuarine nursery habitat available in the Chesapeake Bay: These proposals will characterize and quantify the suitable habitat in shallow coastal zones and estuaries for early life stages of summer flounder and black sea bass.
Information on the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office’s Fisheries Science program, including examples of previously funded projects, is available. Contact Bruce Vogt with any questions.