Opportunity Information: Apply for P11AT36064
Apply for P11AT36064
- The National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Using Pop Up Satelite Transmitting Tags for Understanding Pacific Halibut Movement in and around Glacier Bay National Park Preserve" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945 Cooperative Research and Training Programs Resources of the National Park System.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 11, 2011 and posted on Sep 11, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 25, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $300,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 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 a CESU cooperative agreement to the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). Applications will only be accepted by UAF for this project.
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Opportunity Summary:
This notice describes the National Park Service (NPS) intent to make a single cooperative agreement award, not to solicit applications, for a research project focused on Pacific halibut movements in and around Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. The funding opportunity is identified as P11AT36064 under CFDA 15.945 (Cooperative Research and Training Programs, Resources of the National Park System). It is a new award with an anticipated total federal amount of up to $300,000, no cost-share requirement, and a planned period of performance from September 16, 2011 through December 31, 2015. The recipient is the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), with Dr. Andrew Seitz listed as the principal investigator, and the award is made under statutory authority that allows NPS to partner with educational institutions on coordinated research and training related to National Park System resources (16 U.S.C. 1a-2(j)). Because this is a notice of intent to award, eligibility is effectively limited to UAF for this specific project and applications are not open to the general public.
The core management problem driving the project is that the Glacier Bay commercial halibut fishery is expected to fade out between roughly 2050 and 2060 as lifetime access permit holders leave the fishery. Park managers anticipate that the conservation benefits of reduced local commercial harvest will depend heavily on whether halibut that feed in Glacier Bay later move outside the park into areas where they can still be caught by commercial and recreational fisheries. In other words, if Glacier Bay functions as a summer feeding area but the same fish seasonally migrate to spawning grounds where fishing pressure is higher, then protection inside the park may not translate into the expected long-term gains in abundance. The proposed work aims to clarify how frequently and when individual halibut leave Glacier Bay, where they go during winter spawning periods, and whether they show site fidelity by returning to the same summer feeding locations within the park.
Methodologically, the project uses pop-up archival satellite tags (often called PAT tags) attached externally to adult-sized Pacific halibut (about 105 cm fork length) caught inside Glacier Bay during summer feeding season. Fifteen tags are planned per year over two years. The tags record environmental and movement-relevant data at one-hour intervals, including ambient temperature, depth, light intensity, and magnetic field strength. Tag programming differs by year to capture different movement windows: in the first year, tags are set to release during the peak spawning season in early February; in the second year, tags are set to release about 365 days after deployment. Once released, each tag floats to the surface and transmits archived data via Argos satellites for retrieval and analysis. The project specifically highlights the use of light-based and geomagnetic data to estimate daily positions, allowing researchers to reconstruct migratory timing and pathways and evaluate both outward spawning migrations and subsequent returns (homing) to Glacier Bay.
From an NPS decision-making standpoint, the expected value of the work is practical and management-oriented. By establishing the timing, frequency, and routes of migrations, the park can better predict when Glacier Bay-associated halibut are likely to be exposed to harvest outside park boundaries during seasonal fishery openings. If the results show predictable periods or corridors of higher vulnerability, the information could support future protection measures or coordination with external fishery management to reduce unintended harvest mortality on fish that the park is trying to conserve. The project also positions Glacier Bay Proper as a test case for understanding how well a marine protected area can safeguard wide-ranging species that do not stay within boundaries year-round, and it is framed as relevant not only for halibut conservation but also as a broader lesson for other mobile fish and invertebrates. An additional stated outcome is improved visitor education by generating clearer scientific understanding of a prominent predator in the park’s marine ecosystem.
The announcement also explains why the award is being made without full and open competition. NPS justifies the single-source approach on the basis of unique qualifications and the specialized nature of the work. The identified team includes UAF researcher Dr. Andrew Seitz and PhD candidate Julie Nielsen, who are described as having extensive experience with halibut and other large, mobile marine species movement studies, along with a strong publication record and familiarity with Glacier Bay. Their work is also described as complementary to a larger NOAA Undersea Research Program effort studying halibut movement across a broad region (Southeast Alaska to the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea), meaning the Glacier Bay-focused tagging fits into an existing framework, potentially reducing duplication and improving scientific integration. The announcement notes that market research was not conducted because only a small number of academic groups nationwide typically conduct this kind of highly specialized tagging and analysis, and bringing in outside institutions would likely increase costs substantially due to travel and logistics in Alaska. It also references continuity with earlier Glacier Bay halibut movement research (including 1990s-era studies) that the same collaborators are analyzing for publication under a related CESU agreement, reinforcing the idea that this effort builds directly on prior findings (such as evidence of home ranges in Glacier Bay Proper) by extending the work to seasonal migration to spawning grounds such as the Fairweather Grounds and potential returns.
Deliverables and schedule are laid out in a fairly structured way, emphasizing both field activities and reporting products. Tag deployment is planned for July/August 2011 with tag recovery/data receipt expected by April 2012, followed by a Year 1 annual report due June 1, 2012. A second deployment is planned for July/August 2012 with recovery expected by August 2013, followed by a Year 2 annual report due December 1, 2013. A publication-format final report is expected by June 1, 2014, with presentations of results planned for winter/spring 2013/2014 and a manuscript acceptance/publication target of December 1, 2014. The cooperative agreement is anticipated to remain active through December 31, 2015, allowing time for coordination, analysis, publication, and closeout. The measurable results are described as quantifiable evidence of movement timing and spatial patterns, improved understanding of how much a future cessation of commercial harvest would actually protect the Glacier Bay halibut resource, better guidance for managers assessing Glacier Bay as a protected area for wide-ranging species, and improved interpretive value for the public.
Finally, the cooperative agreement structure is emphasized as involving substantial NPS engagement rather than a hands-off grant. NPS indicates it will participate jointly with the researchers in reviewing and refining proposals, analyzing data and reports, and conducting field work. The agency also notes it will be directly involved in ensuring compliance with permitting and review requirements, including NEPA considerations, animal care and use oversight (IACUC), and NPS research permitting. Overall, the opportunity is essentially a formal public notice that NPS plans to fund a specific, highly targeted halibut movement study with UAF using advanced pop-up satellite tagging to answer management-critical questions about seasonal migration, site fidelity, and exposure to fisheries outside Glacier Bay.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding notice about?
This is a National Park Service (NPS) notice of intent to make a single cooperative agreement award for a research project on Pacific halibut movements in and around Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. It is not a competitive call for proposals.
Is this an open grant opportunity where anyone can apply?
No. The notice states that NPS intends to make a single award and is not soliciting applications. Eligibility for this specific project is effectively limited to the named recipient.
Who is the intended recipient of the cooperative agreement?
The intended recipient is the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).
Who is listed as the principal investigator (PI) for the project?
Dr. Andrew Seitz is listed as the principal investigator.
What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA program?
The funding opportunity is identified as P11AT36064 under CFDA 15.945, Cooperative Research and Training Programs, Resources of the National Park System.
How much federal funding is anticipated?
The anticipated total federal amount is up to $300,000.
Is a cost share or match required?
No. The notice specifies that there is no cost-share requirement.
What is the planned period of performance?
The planned period of performance is September 16, 2011 through December 31, 2015.
Is this a new award or a continuation?
The notice describes it as a new award.
What statutory authority allows NPS to make this cooperative agreement?
The award is made under statutory authority allowing NPS to partner with educational institutions on coordinated research and training related to National Park System resources (16 U.S.C. 1a-2(j)).
Why is NPS using a single-source approach instead of full and open competition?
NPS justifies the single-source approach based on unique qualifications and the specialized nature of the work, including the team’s experience with halibut movement studies, publication record, familiarity with Glacier Bay, integration with a broader NOAA Undersea Research Program effort, and the logistical and cost challenges of Alaska fieldwork. The notice also states market research was not conducted because few academic groups nationally conduct this type of specialized tagging and analysis.
What management problem is the research trying to solve?
The project is driven by concerns that the Glacier Bay commercial halibut fishery is expected to fade out between roughly 2050 and 2060 as lifetime access permit holders leave the fishery. Park managers want to understand whether reduced local commercial harvest will actually translate into conservation benefits, which depends on whether halibut that feed in Glacier Bay later move outside the park into areas where they can be harvested by commercial and recreational fisheries.
What key research questions will the project address?
The study aims to clarify how frequently and when individual halibut leave Glacier Bay, where they go during winter spawning periods, and whether they show site fidelity by returning to the same summer feeding locations within the park.
Where will the halibut be caught and tagged?
Adult-sized Pacific halibut will be caught inside Glacier Bay during the summer feeding season and tagged externally.
What tagging technology will be used?
The project uses pop-up archival satellite tags (PAT tags) attached externally to adult-sized Pacific halibut.
What size halibut are targeted for tagging?
The targeted fish are adult-sized Pacific halibut at about 105 cm fork length.
How many tags will be deployed and over what timeframe?
Fifteen tags are planned per year over two years.
What types of data will the tags record?
The tags record data at one-hour intervals, including ambient temperature, depth, light intensity, and magnetic field strength.
How are the tags programmed to capture different movement windows?
In the first year, tags are set to release during the peak spawning season in early February. In the second year, tags are set to release about 365 days after deployment.
How is location estimated from the tags?
The project highlights the use of light-based and geomagnetic data to estimate daily positions, which supports reconstruction of migratory timing and pathways and evaluation of outward spawning migrations and potential returns (homing) to Glacier Bay.
How is tag data retrieved?
Once released, each tag floats to the surface and transmits archived data via Argos satellites for retrieval and analysis.
What practical decisions could this research inform for NPS?
By establishing timing, frequency, and routes of migrations, the park can better predict when Glacier Bay-associated halibut may be exposed to harvest outside park boundaries during seasonal fishery openings. If predictable periods or corridors of vulnerability are identified, the information could support future protection measures or coordination with external fishery management to reduce unintended harvest mortality.
How does this project relate to marine protected area effectiveness?
Glacier Bay Proper is positioned as a test case for understanding how well a marine protected area can safeguard wide-ranging species that do not remain within boundaries year-round.
Does the notice mention broader relevance beyond halibut?
Yes. The project is framed as relevant not only for halibut conservation but also as a broader lesson for other mobile fish and invertebrates.
Are there visitor or education benefits mentioned?
Yes. An additional stated outcome is improved visitor education by generating clearer scientific understanding of a prominent predator in the park’s marine ecosystem.
How does the project connect to other research efforts?
The notice describes the work as complementary to a broader NOAA Undersea Research Program studying halibut movement across a large region (Southeast Alaska to the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea). It also references continuity with earlier Glacier Bay halibut movement research, including 1990s-era studies, which collaborators are analyzing for publication under a related CESU agreement.
What are the main planned field and reporting milestones?
The notice outlines: tag deployment in July/August 2011 with data receipt expected by April 2012 and a Year 1 annual report due June 1, 2012; a second deployment in July/August 2012 with recovery expected by August 2013 and a Year 2 annual report due December 1, 2013; a publication-format final report expected by June 1, 2014; presentations planned for winter/spring 2013/2014; and a manuscript acceptance/publication target of December 1, 2014.
Why does the cooperative agreement remain active through December 31, 2015 if major reports are due earlier?
The notice indicates the agreement is anticipated to remain active through December 31, 2015 to allow time for coordination, analysis, publication, and closeout.
What kinds of measurable results are expected?
Expected results include quantifiable evidence of movement timing and spatial patterns, improved understanding of how much future cessation of commercial harvest would actually protect the Glacier Bay halibut resource, better guidance for managers assessing Glacier Bay as a protected area for wide-ranging species, and improved interpretive value for the public.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement rather than a traditional grant?
The notice emphasizes substantial NPS engagement rather than a hands-off award. NPS plans to participate jointly with researchers in reviewing and refining proposals, analyzing data and reports, and conducting field work.
What compliance and permitting responsibilities are mentioned?
NPS notes it will be directly involved in ensuring compliance with permitting and review requirements, including NEPA considerations, animal care and use oversight (IACUC), and NPS research permitting.
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