Sea Duck Research and Monitoring in the Atlantic Flyway
The US Fish and Wildlife Service, Headquarters Region 7 intends to award a single source Cooperative Agreement as authorized by 505 DM 2.14.B to Environment Canada, Atlantic Region. This notice is not a request for proposals and the Government does not intend to accept proposals. Award will be made within 15 days after this notice. PURPOSE, Environment Canada Atlantic Region and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, among others, are partners in the Sea Duck Joint Venture, SDJV. The SDJV strives to improve our knowledge and understanding of sea ducks to better design and implement conservation and management strategies on a continental or population level. Two high priority initiatives of the SDJV are to 1. develop monitoring strategies for sea ducks, and 2. delineate populations of sea ducks. Environment Canada Atlantic Region is taking the lead on two important projects in support of these initiatives. In 2012 and 2013, the program will focus on, 1. the development of a monitoring program for the American Common Eiders, ACOEI and 2. a feasibility study to determine if fall captures of migrating Surf Scoters and White winged Scoters are possible along the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec. The purpose of this agreement is to provide support and assistance to Environment Canada to develop a monitoring survey for American common eiders and to monitor sea duck migration patterns, as part of the SDJV research program. OBJECTIVES, The objectives of this agreement are to provide support and assistance to Memorial University to develop a regular, repeatable range wide survey of ACOEI breeding areas, and to capture and tag a representative sample of Surf Scoters and White winged Scoters with satellite transmitters. REASON FOR SINGLE SOURCE, 1. Unique Qualifications of Environment Canada, Atlantic Region, EC Atlantic, a Canadian Federal Agency, is a partner in the SDJV, which is coordinated by the USFWS. EC Atlantic staff possesses specialized skills in sea duck monitoring and capture techniques as well as an intimate familiarity with study sites of interest to SDJV due to the species and populations of sea ducks that seasonally use these areas. EC Atlantic staff is considered experts in the study of birds in eastern Canada and have a proven track record with development and implementation of sea duck surveys and satellite telemetry studies. In this case, the universe of potential candidates to carry out this specialized work is small, primarily U.S. and Canadian government wildlife agencies. All of these other agency people are either involved in this study, or are otherwise unavailable to perform the work at the sites identified by the SDJV. EC Atlantic and study partners are contributing significant resources to this project, including staff time, equipment, and travel. For furhter information conatact, Tim Bowman, Sea Duck Joint Venture Coordinator U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 E. Tudor Rd. Anchorage, AK 99503, Phone 907.786.3569
Office: U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
tim_bowman@fws.gov
