Fisheries Resource Monitoring Program

Description

Section 812 of ANILCA directs the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, cooperating with other Federal agencies, the State of Alaska, and Alaska Native and rural organizations, to research and monitor fish and wildlife subsistence uses on Federal public lands and to seek data from, consult with, and make use of the knowledge of local residents engaged in subsistence. When the Federal government assumed responsibility for management of subsistence fisheries on Federal public lands in Alaska in 1999, the Secretary of the Interior made a commitment to increase the quantity and quality of information available to manage subsistence fisheries, to increase quality and quantity of meaningful involvement by Alaska Native and rural organizations, and to increase collaboration among Federal, State, Alaska Native, and rural organizations. The mission of the Fisheries Resource Monitoring Program (Monitoring Program) is to identify and provide information needed to sustain subsistence fisheries on Federal public lands for rural Alaskans through a multidisciplinary, collaborative program. The main focus of the Monitoring Program will continue to be projects whose purpose is the collection, dissemination, and application of information used in the management of Federal subsistence fisheries in Alaska. However, it is also the intent of the Monitoring Program to support partnerships and provide opportunities for capacity building of rural organizations, communities, and individuals. Applicants are encouraged to develop the highest level of community and regional collaboration that is practical. Investigators must demonstrate that capacity building has already reached the communication or partnership development stage during proposal development, and ideally, include a strategy to develop capacity building to higher levels, recognizing, however, that in some situations higher level involvement may not be desired or feasible by local organizations. Letters of support from local communities or organizations that will partner on the proposed project must be included with the proposal package. The Office of Subsistence Management is targeting this Funding Opportunity towards projects that address specific priority information needs identified by Federal Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils. The 2022 Priority Information Needs can be accessed at the Monitoring Program’s webpage https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/frmp/funding. Investigators wishing to address information needs other than those identified in the list must include a compelling rationale regarding strategic importance and application to Federal subsistence management. Project proposals are evaluated using five, equally weighted criteria: (1) strategic priority, (2) technical and scientific merit, (3) investigator ability and resources, (4) partnership-capacity building, and (5) cost/benefit. Indicators of successful projects are technical soundness, administrative competence, and cost effectiveness. Successful projects promote partnerships and capacity building and address critical Federal subsistence fisheries research and monitoring needs. Successful projects have rigorous sampling and/or research designs with appropriate, clearly stated, and achievable objectives and incorporate traditional knowledge and methods. Rural community members have meaningful roles such as in project management or fieldwork, and requested funds are reasonable and justified.

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