Fish and Wildlife Coordination and Assistance

Description

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD TO A SINGLE-SOURCE. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) intends to award a grant agreement to BirdsCaribbean, Inc., to conduct a comprehensive seasonal shorebird survey. The abundance and diversity of shorebirds that migrate through or winter in Trinidad, and the location of staging and wintering areas in the country, are not well understood, and no comprehensive survey of shorebirds has been conducted since the mid-1980s. Recent work identified shorebird concentration sites in T&T, based on historical surveys, and provided a preliminary assessment of the magnitude of shorebird hunting. However, there is an urgent need to expand this work by conducting a comprehensive seasonal shorebird survey. The surveys will build on aerial surveys conducted previously and focus efforts in high concentration areas. Other shoreline areas with known or expected low shorebird densities would be surveyed in a randomized manner to confirm status. Information collected as part of the proposed work will greatly assist the Atlantic Flyway Shorebird Initiative¿s (AFSI) in understanding threats to shorebirds in T&T and working toward effective shorebird management. As identified in the AFSI Business Plan, there is an urgent need to understand the abundance and distribution of migrant and wintering shorebirds in the Flyway and to understand the threats that shorebirds face at key sites. Filling the large time gap with comprehensive information on shorebirds using Trinidad during the fall migration and wintering seasons will address this AFSI need. Understanding threats to shorebirds in T&T and will enable partners to work toward effective the AFSI¿s goal of managing and protecting critical shorebird habitat. The AFSI focal species addressed in this project include Whimbrel, Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Red Knot, Short-billed Dowitcher and Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs. This program aligns with Departmental funding Priority #1, creating a conservation stewardship legacy second only to Teddy Roosevelt, as it promotes natural resource conservation through sustainable use integrating the best science (survey data) for the conservation of migratory shorebirds. By engaging network partners and other local stakeholders, this program aligns with Priority #3, restoring trust with our local communities, by improving relationships and expanding lines of communication with international partners who look to consider local communities in developing conservation solutions. Funding for this project is provided under the authority of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 742a-754; Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958, 16 U.S.C. 661- 2 667(e); Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 2901-2911; and the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2018.

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