Opportunity Information: Apply for R13AC30012
Apply for R13AC30012
- The Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Region in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Evaluation of Predator Recognition Training in Bonytail" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.538 Lower Colorado River Multi Species Conservation Program..
- This funding opportunity was created on May 9, 2013 and posted on May 9, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 23, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $472,150.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $472,150.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- This is a notice of intent to award, no competition is being sought.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity titled "Evaluation of Predator Recognition Training in Bonytail" is a Bureau of Reclamation (Lower Colorado Region) cooperative agreement tied to the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP) and its Habitat Conservation Plan. The work sits squarely within Reclamations broader mandate to carry out wildlife conservation in ways that are both environmentally and economically sound, with a clear focus on supporting recovery-oriented actions for native fish in the lower Colorado River basin. Two focal species are highlighted: the bonytail and the razorback sucker, both of which face persistent survival challenges in environments where nonnative predators are common.
At the center of the project is a practical question with direct management value: whether predator recognition and avoidance training can measurably increase post-release survival for bonytail and razorback sucker when they encounter predators. This effort is not starting from scratch; it explicitly builds on an earlier 2012 Reclamation assistance agreement with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) that explored the basic feasibility of training these fish to recognize and evade predators. A key takeaway from that earlier work is the idea that bonytail schooling behavior may allow trained fish to indirectly help untrained fish survive, because untrained individuals might pick up cues and avoidance behaviors by following or observing trained members of the group. The new project is meant to test and quantify that kind of effect under more realistic, semi-controlled conditions.
The planned research design relies on restoring and using six ponds described as mesocosms, meaning they are intended to bridge the gap between laboratory tanks and fully natural river conditions. By working at this intermediate scale, the project aims to apply earlier laboratory conclusions while gaining stronger evidence that is more transferable to field stocking and recovery programs. The ponds are expected to support replicated experiments that compare survival outcomes across different levels or intensities of predator avoidance training, helping determine not only whether training works, but how much training is needed and whether benefits spread through social behavior like schooling.
The work is organized into three main components. First is pond restoration, which is essentially the infrastructure and habitat preparation needed to make the six mesocosms functional and consistent enough for experimental use. Second is intensive predator avoidance training paired with marking of fish, so that trained and untrained individuals (and potentially different training groups) can be distinguished later. Third is remote sensing of those marked fish to measure short-term survival after training, allowing researchers to monitor outcomes without relying solely on manual recapture. Together, these components are designed to produce a clear, measurable comparison of survival across experimental treatments in the presence of predators.
Implementation is closely coordinated with the Valle Vista Golf Course (VVGC) in Kingman, Arizona, which will provide the physical location for the ponds and allow site access for experimental work. AZGFD is described as establishing a long-term memorandum of agreement with VVGC, suggesting the facility is intended to support ongoing or future conservation research beyond this single study. The announcement also emphasizes that the site will function as a new experimental facility capable of running mesocosm-scale tests with high replication, which is important because replication is often the difference between suggestive results and results that can credibly guide management decisions.
Administratively, this opportunity is listed as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement, with an estimated total funding amount of $472,150. The award ceiling and floor are both $472,150, and the anticipated number of awards is one, signaling a single, defined project budget rather than a range of possible award sizes. The CFDA number associated with the funding is 15.538 (Lower Colorado River Multi Species Conservation Program). There is no cost sharing or matching requirement noted. Eligibility is limited in practice because the notice states it is a notice of intent to award and that no competition is being sought, meaning it is effectively a directed award rather than an open call for proposals. The posting date is May 9, 2013, with an original and current closing date of May 23, 2013, and an archive date of June 22, 2013. A grants officer contact is provided for access issues or questions related to the announcement.
Overall, the opportunity funds a targeted, applied research effort meant to answer whether predator recognition training can boost survival of two imperiled native fish species, and whether bonytails natural schooling behavior can amplify training benefits across groups. The deliverable value is practical: results could inform how hatchery-reared or cultured fish are prepared before release, potentially improving the success of stocking and recovery actions under the LCR MSCP.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Evaluation of Predator Recognition Training in Bonytail."
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This is offered by the Bureau of Reclamation, specifically within its Lower Colorado Region.
What type of funding instrument is being used?
The announcement describes the award as a cooperative agreement and characterizes it as a discretionary award.
What program is this grant associated with?
The funding is tied to the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP) and its Habitat Conservation Plan.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 15.538 (Lower Colorado River Multi Species Conservation Program).
What is the main purpose of the project being funded?
The project aims to evaluate whether predator recognition and avoidance training can measurably improve post-release survival of native fish when they encounter predators, producing results that can guide stocking and recovery actions in the lower Colorado River basin.
Which fish species are the focus of the project?
Two focal species are highlighted: the bonytail and the razorback sucker.
What conservation problem is this research trying to address?
The work targets persistent survival challenges for bonytail and razorback sucker in environments where nonnative predators are common, with the applied goal of improving survival outcomes for fish used in recovery-oriented releases.
What is the central research question?
The core question is whether training fish to recognize and avoid predators can increase survival after release, and how factors like training intensity and social behavior (such as schooling) influence that outcome.
Is this project building on any prior work?
Yes. The announcement states it builds on an earlier 2012 Reclamation assistance agreement with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) that evaluated the feasibility of predator recognition/avoidance training for these fish.
Why is bonytail schooling behavior important to the study?
The announcement highlights a hypothesis from earlier work: because bonytail tend to school, trained fish may indirectly help untrained fish survive if untrained individuals pick up cues or avoidance behaviors by following or observing trained group members. The new project is intended to test and quantify that effect under more realistic, semi-controlled conditions.
What are the mesocosm ponds, and why are they being used?
The project will restore and use six ponds described as mesocosms, designed to bridge the gap between laboratory tanks and fully natural river environments. This intermediate scale is intended to make findings more transferable to real-world stocking and recovery programs while still allowing controlled, replicated experiments.
How many ponds/mesocosms are involved?
The research design centers on six mesocosm ponds.
What kinds of experiments will the mesocosms support?
The ponds are expected to support replicated experiments comparing survival outcomes across different levels or intensities of predator avoidance training, helping determine whether training works, how much training is needed, and whether benefits can spread through schooling behavior.
What are the main components of the work?
The work is organized into three primary components:
- Pond restoration to prepare the six mesocosms for consistent experimental use.
- Intensive predator avoidance training paired with marking of fish so trained and untrained (and/or different training groups) can be distinguished.
- Remote sensing of marked fish to measure short-term survival after training, reducing reliance on manual recapture.
How will researchers tell trained fish apart from untrained fish?
The announcement states that predator avoidance training will be paired with marking of fish so that trained and untrained individuals (and potentially multiple training groups) can be distinguished during monitoring.
How will survival be measured in this project?
Survival will be evaluated using remote sensing of marked fish to measure short-term survival after training, enabling monitoring without relying only on manual recapture.
Where will the project take place?
Implementation is coordinated with the Valle Vista Golf Course (VVGC) in Kingman, Arizona, which will provide the physical location for the ponds and site access for the experimental work.
What role does the Valle Vista Golf Course (VVGC) play?
VVGC provides the site where the mesocosm ponds are located and supports access needed to conduct the pond restoration and experiments. The announcement also notes the site is expected to function as a new experimental facility with strong replication capability.
What role does the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) play?
AZGFD is referenced as the partner in the earlier 2012 assistance agreement and is described as establishing a long-term memorandum of agreement with VVGC, indicating a longer-term arrangement supporting conservation research at the site.
How much funding is available under this opportunity?
The estimated total funding amount is $472,150.
What are the award ceiling and award floor?
Both the award ceiling and the award floor are listed as $472,150, indicating a single defined project budget rather than a range of potential award sizes.
How many awards does the agency anticipate making?
The anticipated number of awards is one (1).
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is noted in the information provided.
Is this an open, competitive funding opportunity?
No. The notice states it is a notice of intent to award and that no competition is being sought, meaning it functions as a directed award rather than an open call for proposals.
What are the key dates for this opportunity?
- Posting date: May 9, 2013
- Original closing date: May 23, 2013
- Current closing date: May 23, 2013
- Archive date: June 22, 2013
Who should be contacted with questions about the announcement?
The information provided indicates a grants officer contact is available for access issues or questions related to the announcement.
What practical value is expected from the project results?
The expected deliverable value is applied and management-focused: results could inform how hatchery-reared or cultured bonytail and razorback sucker are prepared before release, potentially improving survival and the effectiveness of stocking and recovery actions under the LCR MSCP.
Why does the announcement emphasize replication and a mesocosm-scale facility?
The announcement notes that the site is intended to support mesocosm-scale tests with high replication, which strengthens confidence in results and helps move findings beyond suggestive outcomes toward evidence that can credibly guide management decisions.
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