Opportunity Information: Apply for F13AS00120
Apply for F13AS00120
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Restoration of Atlantic Salmon in Lake Champlain" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.608 Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 22, 2013 and posted on Mar 22, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 27, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $170,274.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The "Restoration of Atlantic Salmon in Lake Champlain" opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F13AS00120) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Notice of Intent to make a single cooperative agreement award to Concordia University. There is no open competitive full announcement attached to this synopsis; instead, it documents a planned, targeted award supporting applied research and adaptive management aimed at rebuilding landlocked Atlantic salmon in the Lake Champlain system. The central idea is to combine field experiments, habitat assessment, and modern genetic tools to figure out which stocking and release practices produce the best survival to subadult and adult stages, what environmental and biological pressures are shaping success in the lake and its tributaries, and whether selecting for better-performing genotypes can measurably improve population outcomes after controlled testing.
The project is designed as a collaborative effort between USFWS (Essex Junction, Vermont) and Concordia University (Montreal, Quebec), with research leadership from Dr. Dylan Fraser and Dr. James Grant. Hatchery fish used in the work are to be produced and reared at the USFWS D.D. Eisenhower National Fish Hatchery. Performance will be evaluated at multiple life stages and locations: subadults in Lake Champlain itself, and returning adults in two tributaries where restoration is a priority, the Boquet (also spelled Bouquet in parts of the synopsis) River and the Winooski River. A key feature is that the study does not rely on a single method. Instead, it layers DNA-based parentage assignment, genome-wide marker scans, controlled juvenile releases, and habitat and angler creel surveys to connect management actions (how, when, where, and what is stocked) to measurable survival and return rates.
The work is organized around three main objectives. First, it uses DNA-based parentage methods to identify which stocking and release strategies perform best, looking explicitly at factors such as salmon strain, life stage stocked, number of fish, stocking dates, stocking locations, and fish size at release, with success measured as survival to subadult and adult stages and as adult returns to tributary spawning runs. Second, it characterizes spawning and juvenile rearing habitat in the Boquet River and links habitat conditions to juvenile density, growth, and survival, generating information meant to directly inform habitat restoration priorities in that watershed. Third, it pairs controlled releases in natural settings with genome scans using large numbers of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to identify genetic variants associated with higher performance, with the longer-term goal of determining whether using more fit genotypes in propagation could "demographically boost" reintroduced populations and increase adult returns.
To deliver those objectives, Concordia University’s tasks are laid out in a stepwise way. One task is to build a parental-based genetic tagging database by genotyping all hatchery broodstock parents used to produce fish stocked into the Boquet and Winooski Rivers. This database is based on multilocus genotypes from at least 10 microsatellite DNA loci and covers about 1,800 parents across three brood years (2010, 2011, and 2012). Those parental genotypes serve as the reference that makes it possible to assign offspring back to specific parents and, by extension, back to specific hatchery lots and stocking treatments (life stage, stocking time and place, and rearing protocol). A second task is to use that database to assign parentage for about 1,200 hatchery-origin fish sampled as juveniles, subadults, and adults from Lake Champlain and the two tributaries, turning those assignments into estimates of survival and comparative performance across different stocking strategies. A third task focuses on the Boquet River habitat work, measuring temperature, drift abundance (food availability), current velocity, depth, and substrate, then relating those habitat features to juvenile performance. This includes locating spawning sites in fall 2013 and surveying juveniles (via electrofishing and/or snorkeling) in summer 2014. The final major task is genome-wide SNP analysis using an Atlantic salmon SNP chip with at least 16,000 markers (noted as potentially expanding to much higher density), analyzing roughly 400 juveniles and subadults to link genotype patterns with higher performance and with potential selective pressures in the lake (both abiotic and biotic).
The expected outcome is a practical set of ecological and genomic indicators that managers can use to improve stocking, release, and propagation decisions, with the ultimate restoration target being stronger river runs and eventually naturally reproducing populations in Lake Champlain tributaries. In other words, the project is meant to move beyond simply stocking fish and hoping for returns; it aims to identify, with evidence, which management choices produce the most adults and what habitat constraints and selective forces are limiting success, while also exploring whether selective breeding or genotype-informed propagation could improve results without relying solely on increased stocking numbers.
USFWS responsibilities include providing the federal funding for the research work described, along with substantial operational support. The Service commits staff time and equipment to conduct angler creel surveys on Lake Champlain, to culture and transport fish from hatchery to release sites, and to help with stream sampling of salmon where needed (including use of fish traps or ladders). USFWS also commits to helping translate findings into management actions, and any changes to the project’s objectives or tasks require Service approval, reflecting the cooperative agreement structure where the agency remains actively involved rather than acting only as a pass-through funder.
The award period runs from February 4, 2013 through July 15, 2016, with staged reporting deadlines that track the project’s progression from baseline genetic infrastructure to applied findings. Concordia is to provide a preliminary parent genotype database report by January 25, 2014; a second draft report by January 25, 2015 with early parentage results for lake-caught subadults and control-release juveniles plus early habitat survey findings; a third draft report by January 25, 2016 focused on linking genotypes to performance and selective agents; and a final synthesis report due August 25, 2016 compiling results, datasets, analyses, and accomplishments. Peer-reviewed publications were anticipated in 2015 and 2016 as the main findings matured.
Financially, the federal award amount is fixed at $170,274 (both the floor and ceiling), with no cost-sharing requirement stated for applicants because this is a directed notice of intent, though the project includes substantial in-kind contributions from Concordia University estimated at $102,000. The budget emphasizes genetic and field-intensive work: about $23,800 for microsatellite lab supplies and equipment maintenance, $36,000 to outsource SNP genotyping (roughly 400 individuals at $90 each), around $21,960 for fieldwork travel and supplies (including items such as PIT tags), and about $71,000 in salaries supporting a PhD student, an MSc student, and a lab technician. Additional funds cover university administration fees, while in-kind support includes teaching assistantships, faculty time from Dr. Fraser and Dr. Grant, conference travel for students, and access to field equipment such as a stream electrofisher.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Restoration of Atlantic Salmon in Lake Champlain (F13AS00120)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity, titled "Restoration of Atlantic Salmon in Lake Champlain" (Funding Opportunity Number F13AS00120), is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Notice of Intent to make a single cooperative agreement award to Concordia University. It documents a planned, targeted award rather than an open competition.
Is this an open, competitive grant opportunity?
No. The synopsis states there is no open competitive full announcement attached. It is a targeted, single-award cooperative agreement intended specifically for Concordia University.
Who is the intended award recipient?
The planned recipient is Concordia University (Montreal, Quebec).
Which federal agency is making the award?
The award is planned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), with involvement noted from USFWS in Essex Junction, Vermont.
What is the main goal of the project?
The project aims to support applied research and adaptive management to rebuild landlocked Atlantic salmon in the Lake Champlain system by identifying which stocking and release practices produce the best survival to subadult and adult stages, what environmental and biological pressures affect success, and whether selecting better-performing genotypes can improve outcomes after controlled testing.
Where will the work take place?
Work is focused on Lake Champlain and two key tributaries where restoration is a priority: the Boquet (also spelled Bouquet in parts of the synopsis) River and the Winooski River. Concordia University is based in Montreal, Quebec, and USFWS operations are described as based in Essex Junction, Vermont.
Who is leading the research?
The synopsis identifies research leadership from Dr. Dylan Fraser and Dr. James Grant at Concordia University.
What makes this a cooperative agreement rather than a typical grant?
The USFWS is described as actively involved: providing funding plus staff time and equipment for creel surveys, fish culture and transport, and assistance with stream sampling. The synopsis also notes that changes to objectives or tasks require USFWS approval, reflecting ongoing federal involvement.
What hatchery will produce the fish used in the study?
Hatchery fish used in the work are to be produced and reared at the USFWS D.D. Eisenhower National Fish Hatchery.
How will salmon performance be evaluated?
Performance will be evaluated across multiple life stages and locations, including subadults in Lake Champlain and returning adults in the Boquet River and Winooski River. The project also uses juvenile sampling in rivers and controlled juvenile releases to connect stocking treatments to survival and return rates.
What approaches and tools are being combined in this project?
The project layers field experiments, habitat assessment, and genetic tools, including DNA-based parentage assignment, genome-wide marker scans, controlled juvenile releases, and habitat and angler creel surveys.
What are the three main objectives described in the synopsis?
The project is organized around three objectives: (1) use DNA-based parentage methods to identify which stocking and release strategies perform best (considering strain, life stage stocked, number of fish, dates, locations, and fish size at release), with success measured by survival to subadult/adult stages and adult returns; (2) characterize spawning and juvenile rearing habitat in the Boquet River and link habitat conditions to juvenile density, growth, and survival to guide habitat restoration priorities; and (3) use controlled releases and genome-wide SNP scans to identify genetic variants linked to higher performance and evaluate whether genotype-informed propagation could improve adult returns and boost reintroduced populations.
What specific stocking and release factors will be evaluated under Objective 1?
The synopsis specifies salmon strain, life stage stocked, number of fish, stocking dates, stocking locations, and fish size at release as factors to be examined, with outcomes tied to survival and adult returns.
How does the project use genetics to evaluate stocking strategies?
It uses DNA-based parentage assignment. By genotyping hatchery parents and assigning sampled offspring back to those parents, the project can link individual fish to specific hatchery lots and stocking treatments and estimate comparative survival and performance across strategies.
What is the parental-based genetic tagging database?
It is a reference database built by genotyping all hatchery broodstock parents used to produce fish stocked into the Boquet and Winooski Rivers. The synopsis describes multilocus genotypes from at least 10 microsatellite DNA loci and coverage of about 1,800 parents across three brood years (2010, 2011, and 2012).
How many fish will be assigned parentage in the study?
The synopsis indicates parentage assignment for about 1,200 hatchery-origin fish sampled as juveniles, subadults, and adults from Lake Champlain and the two tributaries.
What habitat information will be collected in the Boquet River?
The habitat work in the Boquet River includes measuring temperature, drift abundance (food availability), current velocity, depth, and substrate, and then relating these features to juvenile density, growth, and survival.
When will Boquet River spawning sites and juveniles be surveyed?
The synopsis specifies locating spawning sites in fall 2013 and surveying juveniles in summer 2014, using electrofishing and/or snorkeling.
What is the genome-wide SNP component of the project?
The project includes genome-wide SNP analysis using an Atlantic salmon SNP chip with at least 16,000 markers (noted as potentially expanding to much higher density). It will analyze roughly 400 juveniles and subadults to link genotype patterns with higher performance and with potential selective pressures in the lake.
How many genetic markers and samples are mentioned for SNP testing?
The synopsis mentions an SNP chip with at least 16,000 markers and roughly 400 juveniles and subadults for genome analysis.
What is meant by identifying "selective pressures" in Lake Champlain?
Based on the synopsis, the genome scans are intended to connect genotype patterns with performance and with potential selective agents in the lake environment, including abiotic and biotic pressures, to better understand what is shaping survival and returns.
What are the expected outcomes or deliverables for managers?
The expected outcome is a practical set of ecological and genomic indicators managers can use to improve stocking, release, and propagation decisions, with the longer-term restoration target of stronger river runs and eventually naturally reproducing populations in Lake Champlain tributaries.
How does this project differ from simply stocking more fish?
The synopsis emphasizes moving beyond stocking and hoping for returns by using evidence to determine which management choices produce more adults, what habitat constraints and selective forces limit success, and whether genotype-informed propagation could improve outcomes without relying solely on increased stocking numbers.
What are USFWS responsibilities in the project?
USFWS responsibilities include providing federal funding, committing staff time and equipment for angler creel surveys on Lake Champlain, culturing and transporting fish from the hatchery to release sites, assisting with stream sampling (including fish traps or ladders), and helping translate findings into management actions. The synopsis also notes USFWS approval is required for changes to objectives or tasks.
What is the project period of performance?
The award period runs from February 4, 2013 through July 15, 2016.
What reporting deadlines are described?
Concordia University is to provide: a preliminary parent genotype database report by January 25, 2014; a second draft report by January 25, 2015 with early parentage results for lake-caught subadults and control-release juveniles plus early habitat survey findings; a third draft report by January 25, 2016 focused on linking genotypes to performance and selective agents; and a final synthesis report due August 25, 2016 compiling results, datasets, analyses, and accomplishments.
Are publications expected from this work?
Yes. The synopsis anticipates peer-reviewed publications in 2015 and 2016 as findings mature.
What is the federal award amount?
The federal award amount is fixed at $170,274 (listed as both the floor and ceiling).
Is cost sharing required?
No cost-sharing requirement is stated for applicants, and the synopsis frames this as a directed notice of intent. It also describes substantial in-kind contributions from Concordia University estimated at $102,000.
What does the budget prioritize?
The budget emphasizes genetic and field-intensive work, including about $23,800 for microsatellite lab supplies and equipment maintenance, $36,000 to outsource SNP genotyping (about 400 individuals at $90 each), around $21,960 for fieldwork travel and supplies (including items such as PIT tags), and about $71,000 in salaries supporting a PhD student, an MSc student, and a lab technician. Additional funds cover university administration fees.
What in-kind support is mentioned?
In-kind support from Concordia University is estimated at $102,000 and includes teaching assistantships, faculty time from Dr. Fraser and Dr. Grant, conference travel for students, and access to field equipment such as a stream electrofisher.
What rivers are specifically targeted for adult returns and restoration priority?
The synopsis specifically highlights adult returns in the Boquet River and the Winooski River as restoration priorities.
How are angler creel surveys used in this project?
The synopsis states USFWS will commit staff time and equipment to conduct angler creel surveys on Lake Champlain as part of the operational support for the cooperative agreement.
What happens if the project needs to change objectives or tasks?
The synopsis notes that any changes to the project’s objectives or tasks require USFWS approval.
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