September 25, 2014 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
The Northeast Consortium, under contract to the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) invites proposals for collaborative research programs that involve partnerships between scientists and commercial fishermen that focus on New England Groundfish. A broad range of projects will be considered but priority will be given to proposals that address four research recommendations adopted by the Council and outlined below:
1) Research projects that demonstrate how to access closed areas and increase catch of haddock without impacting cod, yellowtail flounder, and windowpane flounder through the application of developed gear technologies, mesh selectivity studies, and temporal harvest strategies, while minimizing habitat impacts;
2) Develop gear-engineering solutions to minimize bycatch for flatfish, prioritizing stocks and fisheries according to current stock status and potential imposition of AMs (for example, windowpane flounder caught in small mesh fisheries or yellowtail or windowpane flounder caught on Georges Bank);
3) Determine the recreational haddock discard mortality rate;
4) Develop solutions for bycatch avoidance for flatfish, prioritizing stocks and fisheries according to current stock status and potential imposition of AMs (for example, windowpane flounder caught in small mesh fisheries or yellowtail or windowpane flounder caught on Georges Bank).
The Northeast Consortium may choose to convene a working group(s) to discuss potential solutions to one or more of the research recommendations listed above.
This request for proposals includes the background, goals, and objectives of the Northeast Consortium; and general guidelines for submission of proposals. Please see our website (www.northeastconsortium.org) for additional information, including guidelines, required budget format, and descriptions of previously funded projects.
Program Overview
The Northeast Consortium encourages and funds collaborative research and monitoring projects that create effective, equal partnerships among commercial fishermen, scientists, and others. The Northeast Consortium consists of four research institutions (University of New Hampshire, University of Maine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution). Each institution has designated an individual who serves as a representative to the Consortium. The representatives administer the Northeast Consortium funds, interface with stakeholders, and are responsible for funding decisions. An Advisory Committee provides programmatic advice and guidance and makes recommendations regarding the selection of projects to the representatives of the Northeast Consortium. Funding will be administered by the University of New Hampshire on behalf of the Northeast Consortium. Groundfish Research Program funds will be distributed via an open competition, which is announced through this RFP.
Proposals will be evaluated for the importance of the idea and its relevance to the New England Fishery Management Council’s objectives, as well as the technical approach and likelihood of success.
Proposal Concept
Proposals should explain the central concept and the plan of work in sufficient detail to be understandable to a reader knowledgeable about fisheries research, oceanography, and management. Proposals may originate from the commercial fishing community, fisheries managers, oceanographers, or any other interested person and must identify by name all scientists and commercial fishermen involved. The Northeast Consortium encourages projects that allow and promote broad participation among scientists and fishermen.
The Northeast Consortium aims to fund projects that are conducted in a responsible manner, in order to minimize any negative environmental impacts, and be consistent with accepted ethical research practices (e.g., use of animals and human subjects in research). Prior to receiving funding, proposals will be reviewed by the National Marine Fisheries Service for environmental and regulatory impacts. Projects that involve the care and use of animals may require review by an approved Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). These reviews will influence the timing of funding release.
For More Information
Descriptions of collaborative research projects funded previously by the Northeast Consortium are available in the project information database on our website: www.northeastconsortium.org. Questions regarding proposal preparation, submission, Northeast Consortium documents and program information, should be directed to Northeast Consortium Director, Chris Glass (603-862-0122), email (chris.glass@unh.edu).
Submission of Proposals
Proposals must be submitted electronically via email attachment to Northeast Consortium Director, Chris Glass (chris.glass@unh.edu). Proposals must be received by the Northeast Consortium no later than 5:00 pm on 5 November 2014. Proposals should be submitted as a single PDF document, however, proposals will be accepted as a single MS Word document with attachments as noted below. Late submissions will not be considered. Fax or land mail submissions will not be accepted.
Proposals should include the following:
Title Page to include Principle Investigators and Lead Institute as well as Additional key Project Participants
Project Summary
Proposal Narrative that should include:
– Problem statement
– Relevance of project to priorities of this RFP
– Project objectives and methods
– Project significance, anticipated outcomes and deliverables
Project timeline
Detailed budget and justification
Curriculum vitae of collaborators
Letters of support will be accepted but are not required.
Format:
Proposals are limited to 15 pages, including all narrative, figures and tables. Title page, references, budget, Curriculum vitae and letters of support are not considered part of the 15-page limit. Proposals should be prepared using font size 11 or larger and with standard 1” margins.