[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 196 (Friday, October 9, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 54447-54450] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-27258] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [Docket No. 980805207-8207-01] RIN: 0648-ZA47 Funds Availability for the Southeast Bering Sea Carrying Capacity (SEBSCC) Project ----------------------------------------------------------------------- AGENCY: Coastal Ocean Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce. ACTION: Supplemental Notice for Financial Assistance for Project Grants. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The NOAA Coastal Ocean Program (COP) announces an opportunity for ecosystem dynamics studies on the southeast Bering Sea shelf as part of the Southeast Bering Sea Carrying Capacity (SEBSCC) project. This announcement solicits two-year proposals for analysis, monitoring and process studies to begin in early fiscal year 1999, contingent on the availability of funds and facilities. This Phase II announcement addresses Years Three and Four of the SEBSCC program, described in detail at http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/sebscc. Phase II will be followed by two years of synthesis. Further information is described below and at SEBSCC's home page site: http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/sebscc. This supplemental notice shall [[Page 54448]] be made available at COP's home page site: http://www.cop.noaa.gov/cop- home.html. Any previous submissions to this announcement on the above web pages need not be resubmitted. DATES: The deadline for proposals is November 9, 1998. It is anticipated that final selections for funding will be made during early FY l999. ADDRESSES: Submit the original and one copy of your proposal to Allen Macklin, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115-0070. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions or require further technical information, contact either Allen Macklin at above- listed e-mail address and phone number; or Beth Turner, SEBSCC Coordinator, Coastal Ocean Program Office, 301-713-3338/ext 135, Internet: [email protected]. For Business Management Information:: Leslie McDonald, COP Grants Office, (301) 713-3338/ext 137. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: The Bering Sea ecosystem is influenced by climate variability. Summer of 1997 brought +3 deg.C temperature anomalies, unusually strong stratification, a coccolithophorid bloom, and reduced numbers of foraging sea birds and returning salmon. On longer time scales, there was an almost exponential increase in jellyfish populations since 1989. Such trends and one-year events may be related to prolonged weather patterns in the North Pacific and observed shifts in Arctic climate. A key challenge for SEBSCC is to understand how such changes affect the food web and food supply to higher trophic level animals. Thus, the focus of Phase II for SEBSCC in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 is on how such physical changes affect: (1) the availability of nutrients on the Bering Sea shelf and (2) the relation of juvenile walleye pollock to top predators. The Bering Sea ecosystem is among the most productive of high- latitude seas and supports large populations of marine fish, birds and mammals. This productivity is important to the U.S. economy in that fish and shellfish from the region constitute almost 5% of the world and 40% of the U.S. fisheries harvest. Pollock, salmon, halibut and crab generate over two billion dollars a year in fisheries revenue and provide a major source of protein. The overwhelming dominance of pollock in the Bering Sea suggests that this species currently plays a singularly important role in this ecosystem. We do not understand the factors controlling the stability of the Bering Sea ecosystem, and there are several indications of ongoing change that cause concern. Quantifying the relative importance of natural variations and human-induced variations in plaining upper trophic level ecosystem changes is a key management issue for the Bering Sea. Differentiating trends in stock abundance attributable to human exploitation from trends due to natural variations is difficult because the fisheries and environmental time series are often short or incomplete. Trends are seldom stable and can be subject to regional variation. Important lower trophic layer changes include those natural and anthropogenic variations that cause shifts in the production of new organic matter and its vertical distribution. SEBSCC postulates that a large fraction of the Bering Sea ecosystem energy passes through the pollock population. Juvenile pollock respond to and potentially impact primary and secondary production through grazing, and influence the availability of food for upper trophic level species, including adult pollock, seabirds and marine mammals. Pollock provide an important measure of the condition of the present ecosystem, and may be an indicator of changes in the Bering Sea over the last three decades and in the future. The SEBSCC program is designed to improve our understanding of the Bering Sea ecosystem; the results of this endeavor will directly assist fishery and resource managers. SEBSCC Goals and Objectives The goal of SEBSCC is to increase understanding of the southeastern Bering Sea pelagic ecosystem. New information will be used to develop and test annual indices of pre-recruit (age-1) pollock abundance, which will support management of pollock stocks and help determine the food availability to other species. The overall science goals for SEBSCC are to: (a) Investigate influences of climate variability on the Bering Sea ecosystem; and determine what limits population growth on the Bering Sea shelf; and (b) Identify effects of oceanographic conditions on biological distributions; and (c) Understand environmental influences on primary and secondary production regimes. Structure of the Research Program SEBSCC is a NOAA COP regional ecosystem project begun in 1996. This continuing Phase II effort is managed by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center, and NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory. SEBSCC research comprises three components: monitoring, synthesis (analysis) and process-oriented field studies. (a) Monitoring: Broad-scale studies include shipboard surveys, multi-disciplinary mooring observations, drifters and analysis of regional satellite data. Shipboard studies help to determine the distribution and abundance of target organisms in relation to their physical environment. There is a particular need for a drifter program in the outer domain of the shelf. The aim of the broad-scale studies is to provide the basis for interannual comparison of the population processes and their coupling to the physical structure and variability of the environment. (b) Synthesis (Analysis): Synthesis begins to pull together results generated by the program and historical data to investigate the biological, physical, and geographical structure of food webs and the influence of climatic variation. Synthesis includes development of theoretical, statistical, and numerical models. In addition to modeling of geographical variability, there is an ongoing need for modeling that emphasizes trophic level interaction. Thus, proposals that develop coupled energetics, life history, and age structured models with simplified spatial dependence are strongly encouraged. A critical element of SEBSCC is the ability to evaluate models over a comprehensive time period, e.g., the suite of years from 1970 to the present. (c) Process Studies: Process studies are nested within the broad- scale observations to investigate specific biological and physical processes. Such studies provide information necessary to develop and parameterize biophysical models. Close cooperation and interaction between process studies and the monitoring and synthesis components of the program are essential. Phase I: Proposals for Phase l studies were requested in 1996, and funded in FY97 and FY98. Summaries and results of all projects funded under Phase l of SEBSCC are available at their referenced web site. Central Scientific issues for Phase 1 included the following: (1) Influence of climate variability on the Bering Sea ecosystem: Was there historical evidence for a biophysical regime shift on the Bering Sea shelf? How was this reflected in ecological relationships and species mix? Are there [[Page 54449]] ``top-down'' ecosystem effects associated with climate variations as well as ``bottom-up'' effects? (2) Limited population growth on the Bering Sea shelf: Was there evidence of a single species carrying capacity, e.g. for pollock, or a more complex structure? What is the ecological role of pollock on the Bering Sea shelf, i.e. how are pollock, forage fish, and apex species linked through energetics and life history? How important is cannibalism? (3) Influence of oceanographic conditions of biological distribution on the shelf: How do the separate mixing domains, sea ice, and the cold pool influence the overlap or separation between predators and prey? (4) Possible Influences on primary and secondary production regimes: What were the sources of nutrients to the southeastern Bering Sea shelf, and what processes affected their availability? Has the variability in sea ice extent and timing been the primary factor influencing productivity? What has determined the relative allocation of organic carbon going to benthos versus that remaining in the pelagic system? What are the lower trophic level structure and energetics on the shelf in summer and winter, especially regarding euphausiids? What is the role of gelatinous organisms? Additional information about the overall SEBSCC programs supported in Phase 1 is available at http:// pmel.noaa.gov/sebscc. Phase II: The specific objectives for Phase lI are to: (1) Determine how changes in on-shelf transport of nutrients impact pelagic food webs. This includes determination of how timing, duration, magnitude and species composition of primary, secondary and forage fish production affect food availability for higher trophic levels. (2) Determine how climate variability influences the spatial overlap of pollock of different life stages, and how the availability of juvenile pollock to predators affects pollock survival rate. Schedule and Proposal Submission This opportunity is open to all interested, qualified, non-federal and federal researchers. Foreign researchers must subcontract with U.S. proposers. This announcement, and additional background information are available on the SEBSCC home page on the World Wide Web. If you are unable to access this information, either call Allen Macklin at (206) 526-6798; or send an e-mail to [email protected]). Full Proposals should cover a two-year project period, i.e. from date of award for twenty-four (24) consecutive months. Project is anticipated to be funded in early FY1999. Prospective investigators should provide a full scientific justification for their research and not simply reiterate justifications laid out in this Announcement or previous documents. Proposals should be written to allow adequate review of the details of such things as goals and objectives, conceptual framework, methodological approaches, integration with other likely projects and synthesis. In addition, it would be helpful if a statement is included as to how your proposed efforts are related to efforts of other potential investigators; interdisciplinary and multi- trophic level coordination are particularly encouraged. Because of an eight-page limitation for the project description, individual proposals with overly complex structure and large numbers of investigators are discouraged. Non-federal researchers should comply with their institutional requirements for proposal submission. Non-federal researchers affiliated with NOAA-university Joint Institutes (e.g., JISAO, CIFAR) should comply with joint institutional requirements. Proposals deemed acceptable from federal researchers will be funded through their agencies; non-federal awardees will be funded through their joint institutes, as appropriate, or through a NOAA grant. Facsimile transmissions and electronic mail submission of full proposals will not be accepted. Required Elements: Use the following instructions when preparing your proposal. Each proposal shall include six elements: (a) Cover page--Provide a title, a short title (<50 characters) if needed, principal investigator(s) name(s) and affiliation(s), complete address, phone, fax and e-mail information, and a budget summary broken out by year and institution. (b) Half-page abstract--State the hypothesis to be tested, the relationship of the research to the program goal, and a summary of the key approach. (c) Statement of Work: Project description limited to eight pages and four figures--Supply a clear statement of the work to be undertaken. Outline the broad design of activities, provide an adequate description of methods, and confirm adherence to the data policy that is posted on SEBSCC's home page. Include: (1) the objective for the period of proposed work and its expected significance, (2) the relation to the present state of knowledge in the field and relation to previous work and work in progress by the proposing principal investigator(s), and (3) a discussion of how the proposed project lends value to the program goal. Provide a full scientific justification for the research; do not simply reiterate justifications laid out in this Availability of Funds document, or other summary documents. (d) Milestone chart - covering twenty-four consecutive months. (e) Budget--Present the budget in fiscal year increments (1999, 2000). Include the following categories: salary and wages, fringe benefits, equipment, travel, materials and supplies (expendables), publication costs, computer services, sub-awards, total cost of this proposal, and cost sharing with other programs. Please include a budget narrative/justification to support all proposed categories. (f) Biographical sketch--Focus on information directly relevant to undertaking the proposed research. Use no more than two pages. (g) Proposal Format and Assembly: Staple the proposal in the upper left-hand corner, but otherwise leave it unbound. Use 1 inch (2.5 cm) margins at the top, bottom, left and right of each page. Use a clear and easily legible type face in standard size of 12 points. Print on one side of the page only. Further Supplementary Information (a) Program Authority (s): 33 U.S.C. 1121; 33 U.S.C. 883a et seq. 33 U.S.C. 1442; l6 U.S.C. 1456c (b) Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA): 11. 478 Coastal Ocean Program (c) Program Description: See initial COP General Notice--63 FR44237, dated August l8, 1998. (d) Funding Availability: Funding is contingent upon receipt of fiscal years 1999 and 2000 federal appropriations. The program is expected to be funded at $1.0M per fiscal year for FY 1999 and FY 2000, with final synthesis at $0.7M in 2001 and $0.3M in 2002. In FY 1999 and FY 2000, typically we anticipate one month of ship time in the winter/spring and one month in the summer. COP is also working on having a fall cruise in 1999. Joint work with other research institutions on their vessels is a possibility. COP recognizes that resources are limited; and therefore encourages potential investigators to consider leveraging their proposals with support from other sources, although there are no matching requirements. Investigators interested in the Bering Sea may also consider becoming no-cost [[Page 54450]] collaborators; ship time and modest travel support would be available. If an application for a financial assistance award is selected for funding, COP has no obligation to provide any additional prospective funding in connection with that award in subsequent years. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the total discretion of the Department of Commerce. Publication of this notice does not obligate Commerce to any specific award or to obligate any part of the entire amount of funds available. (e) Matching Requirements: None (f) Type of Funding Instrument: Project Grants (g) Eligibility Criteria: Opportunity is extended to academic, private, and federal researchers. Phase lI will be followed by two years of synthesis. All prospective investigators for Phase lI, including those currently funded under SEBSCC who propose to continue, will compete on an equal basis for support. (h) Award Period: Multi-year funding will be funded incrementally on an annual basis. Therefore, each annual award shall require a Statement of Work that is clearly severable and can be easily separated into annual increments of meaningful work which represent solid accomplishments if prospective funding is not made available. (i) Indirect Costs: If Indirect costs are proposed, the following statement applies: The total dollar amount of the indirect costs proposed in an application under any Announcement of Opportunity must not exceed the indirect cost rate negotiated and approved by a cognizant Federal agency prior to the proposed effective date of the award or 100 percent of the total proposed direct costs dollar amount in the application, whichever is less. (j) Application Forms and Kit: When applying for financial assistance under this announcement, applicants will be able to obtain a copy of the Federal Register Notice and a standard NOAA Application Kit from the COP home page on the following World Wide Web address: http:// www.cop.noaa.gov/cop-home.html. If you are unable to access this information, you may also call the Coastal Ocean Program (extension 116) at the address listed above to leave a mail request. The federal register notice may be also be accessed at the following Wide Web address: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su-docs/aces/aces140.html. At time of submission, the applicant shall follow the guidelines presented in the funding announcement. Applications not adhering to those stated guidelines may be returned to the applicant without further review. (k) Project Funding Priorities: Priority consideration will be given to proposals that promote balanced coverage of the overall SEBSCC science goals, provide a programmatically balanced approach to Phase lI goals, and avoid duplication of completed or ongoing work. (l) Evaluation Criteria: The proposal selection criteria and weights are: (i.) scientific rationale, quality, and approach--50%; (ii.) applicability to Phase lI objectives--30%; (iii) qualifications of the investigators--10%; and (iv.). reasonableness of the budget-- 10%. Successful PIs may be asked to make minor revisions in their proposals to fit into an overall program structure. (m) Selection Procedures: The proposal review process for SEBSCC Phase lI will be coordinated by the Project Management Team and the COP Office. Proposals received after the required thirty days for publication deadline, or proposals that deviate from the prescribed format, will be returned to the sender un-reviewed. Individual proposals will be mailed to at least three (3) reviewers with expertise in the proposal subject area. The entire set of proposals will also be read by members of SEBSCC's Technical Advisory Committee. All proposals submitted will be evaluated in accordance with the assigned weights of evaluation criteria stated above. A panel, composed of the Technical Advisory Committee and the Project Management Team (also a mix of Federal and non-federal members), will rank all proposals based on mail and panel evaluations. The NOAA SEBSCC Project Coordinator will make recommendations for funding based on the panel rankings and the project funding priorities discussed in section (k). Selections will be announced early in FY1999. (n) Other Requirements: See initial COP Notice--63 FR44237, dated August l8, 1998. (o) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection displays a current valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. This notice involves collections of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act. The requirements have been approved by OMB under control numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040 and 0348-0046. Dated: October 6, 1998. Captain Evelyn J. Fields, Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Managment. [FR Doc. 98-27258 Filed 10-8-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-JS-F