Category Archives: State

CLOSED: Vessel Needed for Testing an Excluder in the Groundfish Bottom Trawl Flatfish Fishery

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The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) intends to charter one vessel to participate in a research project looking to evaluate the efficacy of a flexible sorting grid excluder designed to reduce sablefish, rockfish, and Pacific halibut bycatch in the west coast groundfish bottom trawl directed flatfish fishery (i.e. vessels targeting Dover sole, petrale sole, rex sole, English sole, etc.). This project seeks to conduct 10 sample days (depending on charter rate) between 15 May and 30 September 2014. PSMFC will be responsible for designing the project and providing all scientific equipment needed for the project. The Contractor agrees to furnish a vessel, crew, bottom trawl, and all additional gear necessary for bottom trawling for groundfish species. PSMFC will supply the excluder to be tested. The Captain and crew of the vessel selected will assist in the deployment and retrieval of an underwater video camera and oceanographic sensors. The Captain and crew must be available during all scientific operations. In order to ensure full use of each sample day, the captain and crew should make any necessary transit arrangements in order to begin fishing operations at the start of each sample day. All fishing will occur during daylight hours.

Download the full Request for Proposals (RFP) by clicking the Download RFP button below.

Original posting date: 4.1.2014

CLOSED: Ocean Shrimp Trawl Vessel Needed for Eulachon Bycatch Project

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The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) intends to charter one ocean shrimp trawl vessel to participate in a research project looking to evaluate if simple enhancements to the visibility of the trawl components can be used to improve bycatch reduction for eulachon. This project seeks to conduct 8 sample days (section 3.1. defines a sample day) between 01 June and 30 September 2014. PSMFC and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) will be responsible for designing the project and providing all scientific equipment needed for the project. The Contractor agrees to furnish a vessel, crew, two well-matched ocean shrimp trawls, ice, and all additional gear necessary for ocean shrimp trawling. The Captain and crew of the vessel selected will assist in the deployment and retrieval of LED lights, recording inclinometers, and oceanographic sensors. The Captain and crew must be available during all scientific operations. In order to ensure full use of each sample day, the captain and crew should make any necessary transit arrangements in order to begin fishing operations at the start of each sample day. All fishing will occur during daylight hours. This project will be a collaborative study between the PSMFC, ODFW, and ocean shrimp trawl fishermen.

Download the full Request for Proposals (RFP) by clicking the Download RFP button below.

Original posting date: 4.1.2014

CLOSED: California Fish Passage Forum Coordinator RFP

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The California Fish Passage Forum (Forum), a recognized Fish Habitat Partnership (FHP) under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP), is seeking a part-time coordinator to work with Forum membership in advancing and further developing the partnership. Additionally, with the assistance of a capable coordinator the Forum expects to develop a much stronger presence at all levels and increase interactions with the NFHAP National Board and Staff along with other NFHAP FHPs.

Download the full Request for Proposals (RFP) by clicking the Download RFP button below.

Q&A Responses – Posted 10.12.12

Original posting date: 9.17.2012

CLOSED: Professional Services West Coast Groundfish Observer Program RFP

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Managers of the West Coast groundfish fishery need reliable information on discarded catch in order to assess and account for total fishing mortality and to evaluate the effectiveness of management measures, including rebuilding plans for depleted stocks. During the past decade, trip limits for West Coast groundfish vessels have been substantially reduced, and trip limits have been applied to increasing numbers of species. If discard mortality is higher than currently projected, then overall fishing mortality rates will likely be higher than sustainable levels. Without current and ongoing information on the levels of catch and discard in the fishery, managers may be either overfishing or missing harvest opportunities by wide margins.

The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC), in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), wishes to obtain the services of approximately forty (40) at-sea fishery observers to work on vessels off the states of Washington, Oregon, and California. The vessels designated to carry observers will be selected by NMFS, and will be required to carry those observers while fishing for groundfish during the assigned period. The observers will work at the direction of NMFS field program coordinators. Observers will collect scientific, management, and other data through on-board interviews of vessel captains and crew, observations of fishing operations, measurements of selected portions of the catch and fishing gear, and collection of samples. While at sea and before the conclusion of each deployment, observers will follow the procedures detailed in the West Coast Groundfish Observer Manual to obtain data and collect samples. Observers will record data on appropriate forms or enter data electronically using a laptop computer provided by NMFS or PSMFC. Observers will be debriefed approximately once every 2 months. The database will be used to prepare reports for use by state, commission, fishery management council, and federal fishery biologists and managers.

Q&A Responses – posted 11.9.2010

Original posting date: 10.15.10

CLOSED: West Coast Governers’ Agreement on Ocean Health Action Plan RFP

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In 2006, the Governors of California, Oregon and Washington announced the West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health (WCGA). The Agreement launched a new, proactive regional collaboration to protect and manage the ocean and coastal resources along the entire West Coast, as called for in the recommendations of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Oceans Commission.

The Agreement seeks to advance the goals of:
(1) ensuring clean coastal waters and beaches;
(2) protecting and restoring ocean and coastal habitats;
(3) promoting the effective implementation of ecosystem-based management;
(4) reducing adverse impacts of offshore development;
(5) increasing ocean awareness and literacy among residents;
(6) expanding ocean and coastal scientific information, research, and monitoring; and
(7) fostering sustainable economic development in our communities.

The Agreement also underscores the importance of managing activities that affect our oceans on an ecosystem basis. That is, managing human activities and their impact on ocean resources in a way that accounts for the relationships among all ecosystem components, including people and other species and the environment in which we live. In addition, the states committed to the development of an action plan http://westcoastoceans.gov/docs/WCGA_ActionPlan_lowest-resolution.pdf with specific actions to address the seven priority areas, which was completed in 2008. Each of the seven priority areas identified in the agreement is addressed in a separate section within the action plan. Following the release of the Action Plan in 2008, ten Action Coordination Teams (ACTs) were formed to develop work plans for implementing the Action Plan. The ACTs are composed of representatives from each of the three states, federal government, tribal governments, academia, industry, and non-profit organizations. Eight of the work plans were finalized in May 2010 and the remaining two drafts will be released for public comment Summer 2010 (work plans are available at http://westcoastoceans.gov/teams/).

Original posting date: 7.1.2010

CLOSED: Midwater Trawl Vessel Needed to Conduct a Research Project Testing a Bycatch Reduction Device in the Pacific Whiting Fishery off Central Oregon RFP

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Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) intends to charter a stern trawling fishing vessel engaged in the Pacific whiting fishery to participate in a fisheries research project testing a Bycatch Reduction Device (BRD) designed to reduce Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, and rockfish, Sebastes spp., bycatch. This project will be a collaborative study between the PSMFC, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the west coast Pacific whiting fishing industry. PSMFC and NMFS will be responsible for designing the project and providing any supplies needed to modify the BRD for the experiment. PSMFC and NMFS will provide all scientific equipment. This research charter will be conducted over two chartered trips totaling no more than 8 to 10 days at sea: one prior to the opening of the shore-based sector of the Pacific whiting fishery, and the other after the closure of the shore-based sector of the Pacific whiting fishery. One chartered vessel will be required. The actual days at sea are subject to change based upon weather, sampling logistics, and/or contingencies. Mobilization and demobilization will be conducted in Newport, OR. The mobilization time is necessary for completing the following: (1) loading gear, (2) planning use of deck space, (3) setting up electronics, and (4) orienting the scientific crew with the vessel. The demobilization time frame will include offloading and packing of scientific gear brought aboard the vessel for the project.

Original posting date: 3.8.2010

CLOSED: Director, Collaborative Fisheries Research Organization RFP

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The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) seeks a skilled, creative, and ambitious contractor to serve as the Director of a newly created Collaborative Fisheries Research (CFR) organization. The CFR organization is a partnership between PSMFC, California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) and the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC).
The CFR organization will be a venue for commercial and recreational fishermen, academic scientists, coastal managers, tribes, non-governmental organizations, and funders to come together to prioritize and provide grant funding to support existing and emerging fisheries management and ecosystem evaluation data needs. The intent of the collaborative projects is to form fishermen/scientific/management partnerships that will collect data necessary to the Department of Fish and Game (DFG), the Fish and Game Commission (Commission), the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the OPC.

The Director will work to establish the CFR organization that will support and coordinate collaborative research projects and programs throughout California, with the possibility of expanding throughout the West Coast in the future. The Director will undertake extensive outreach to develop and foster new partnerships, identify program priorities and seek new funding sources. The position provides a unique opportunity to play a leadership role and pioneer innovative approaches in fisheries research and local and regional management.

Original posting date: 2.4.2010

CLOSED: Big Sur In-stream Flow Assessment RFP

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Task 1. Big Sur River Lagoon Assessment

The contractor shall complete an assessment of the lagoon which includes: bathymetric mapping (using semi-permanent transects) to track changes in water volume and water quality monitoring to assess seasonal or annual changes in major water quality parameters. Additionally, fish sampling will be conducted using direct observation to assess use of the lagoon by steelhead and other species. The lagoon work is intended to supplement and be coordinated with an instream flow investigation in the mainstem Big Sur River and tributaries being managed by the California Department of Fish and Game.

Timeline: March 1, 2010 – December 11, 2011

Deliverables: Progress reports, final technical report outlining methods, study results, raw data, and data discussion/interpretation of the Big Sur River lagoon assessment activities, other budget and management information as necessary.

Task 2. Steelhead Habitat Suitability Assessment

The contractor will assess steelhead spawning, rearing, and incubation lifestages from a habitat selection standpoint by identifying and documenting the depths, velocities, substrate composition, cover, embeddedness, and other parameters preferred by steelhead lifestages under currently degraded conditions, and as the system recovers (for length of agreement). A study plan will be provided to and approved by the Department prior to starting this task.

Timeline: March 1, 2010 – September 30, 2012

Deliverables: Approved study plan, progress reports, and final summary report outlining methods, raw data, and discussion/interpretation of steelhead habitat suitability assessment task, other budget and management information as necessary.

Attachments:

References Form

Original posting date: 1.18.10

CLOSED: Midwater Trawl Vessel Needed to Test Bycatch Reduction Device in the Pacific Whiting Fishery Off Central Oregon Coast

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Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) intends to charter a stern trawling fishing vessel to participate in a fisheries research project in the fall of 2009. The project will be in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

Original posting date: 7.22.2009