SOW_-_Oyster_Planting_and_Monitoring_(1)-REVISED.docx

Statement of Work Oyster Planting and Monitoring

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office (NCBO) provides science, service, and stewardship to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. NCBO manages programs that focus on fisheries science, oyster restoration, observations, environmental literacy, and coastal preparedness.

In order to accomplish its oyster restoration goals in ten Chesapeake Bay tributaries by the year 2025, the NCBO works with partners to conduct studies that determine where new oyster reefs should be established. After the reefs are established, they are monitored to determine oyster population density, oyster biomass, presence/ absence of multiple oyster year classes, and shell volume (collectively called ’biological metrics’), or other metrics as specified by NOAA.

This statement of work outlines the two major components of the required efforts, as well as the associated deliverables.

Component A:

Pre-restoration site-assessment surveys of target restoration sites (inspection for site suitability prior to planting with seed oysters in spring/ summer 2019)

In consultation with NOAA, contractor will develop GIS information delineating target restoration polygons to be inspected (‘ground-truthed’). These polygons will be in the Tred Avon River and Little Choptank River, and may also incorporate areas in St. Mary’s River, Breton Bay, or other tributaries as specified by NOAA. Transect or grid patterns will be used to determine where divers, patent tongs, or other gear types specified by NOAA will sample on each polygon to determine benthic conditions. Contractor will analyze the data and make a recommendation as to whether each polygon is suitable for planting seed oysters, unsuitable, or suitable if modified. The deliverable will be spatially explicit GIS data showing recommendations for modification of target polygons based on their restoration suitability.

Component B:

Monitoring restored oyster reefs for biological metrics (parts of the fall 2018 monitoring and fall 2019 monitoring)

For fall 2018 monitoring effort:

Under a separate award, a NOAA grant awardee is developing the sampling grid for reefs to be sampled in Harris Creek, Little Choptank River, and Tred Avon River, and may also incorporate areas in St. Mary’s River, Breton Bay, or other tributaries as specified by NOAA. Reefs may be a combination of reference reefs (not treated), sentinel reefs (monitored annually), and reefs that have received restoration treatment and need monitoring either three-years or six-years post-restoration, or other reefs, as specified by NOAA.

Contractor will use this sampling grid to determine data collection sites, and will collect data on oyster population density, oyster biomass, presence/ absence of multiple oyster year classes, and shell volume.

Contractor will perform an analysis of the collected data showing degree of success relative to the criteria described in the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Metrics report, https://www.chesapeakebay.net/channel_files/17932/oyster_restoration_success_metrics_final.pdf Data collection and analysis methods will follow those described in Appendix A of the 2016 Oyster Reef Monitoring Report, https://chesapeakebay.noaa.gov/images/stories/pdf/2016oysterreefmonitoringreport.pdf . Any modification in methodology or data type collected will be done in consultation with, and approval by, NOAA. Contractor will remain available for consultation to NOAA staff as NOAA staff drafts the full monitoring report based on the data and analysis provided by contractor.

The deliverable will be raw data, analysis showing performance of each polygon relative to Oyster Metrics success criteria, and consultation to NOAA staff on report writing.

For fall 2019 monitoring effort:

NOAA will provide contractor with a survey universe for the fall 2019 monitoring effort. These reefs will be in Harris Creek, Little Choptank River, and Tred Avon River, and may also incorporate areas in St. Mary’s River, Breton Bay, or other tributaries as specified by NOAA. Reefs may be a combination of reference reefs (not treated), sentinel reefs (monitored annually), and reefs that have received restoration treatment and need monitoring either three-years or six-years post-restoration, or other reefs, as specified by NOAA.

From this survey universe, contractor will design a sampling grid to inform fall 2019 oyster sampling. Contractor will design the sampling grid in such a way that subsequent data collection and analysis can determine degree of success relative to the criteria described in the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Metrics report, https://www.chesapeakebay.net/channel_files/17932/oyster_restoration_success_metrics_final.pdf

The deliverable will be the sampling grid in GIS format.

Funding for the remaining elements required to complete the fall 2019 oyster reef monitoring is to be determined, and not part of this contract.

Deliverables

· Completion of all elements per Component A

· Completion of the in water data collection, per Component B

· Completion of the data analysis, data delivery, and consultation on report drafting, per Component B

· Completion of the survey sampling grid, per Component B

Timeline Component A:

· Delivery deadline: recommendations on individual polygons to be provided as they are completed, in time to inform 2019 seed plantings by Horn Point Oyster Hatchery; all work to be completed Sept 1, 2019

Component B:

· Deadline for collecting on-water data for fall 2018 monitoring: December 31, 2018

· Deadline for completing data analysis for fall 2018 monitoring: March 1, 2019

· Contractor to be available for consultation to NOAA during writing of final 2018 Oyster Reef Monitoring Report through Sept 1, 2019.

· Deadline for designing sampling grid for fall 2019 monitoring: September 30, 2019