SOW USVI FI Hook and Line Survey.docx

STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) Sustainable Fisheries Division, Caribbean Fisheries Branch Fishery Independent Survey of Reef Fishes in the US Virgin Islands PRISM Requisition # 143031-24-0179

I. Background/Overview:

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Southeast Fisheries Science Center was recently awarded Inflation Reduction Act funding for the project, “Fishery independent surveys for reef fishes” to conduct cooperative sampling with US Virgin Islands fishers. The project will require developing working relationships with commercial fishers to use low cost methods to gain information regarding the deep-water habitats and the deep-water snapper fishery in the US Virgin Islands.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) has ranked investigations into this fishery at the highest priority level for deep water research in their region (NOAA Deep-Sea Coral Research and Technology Program, Priority Scoping Workshop for the Southeast Region, 2016-2019). All data collected will be used to provide guidance and management recommendations to the US Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) as well as the CFMC.

This project seeks to understand the scope and location of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) for commercially important, deep-water species as well as gaining basic life history information. Additionally, stock assessments for several deep-water species are currently ranked as “data-poor”. Single species stock assessments of those deep-water species are virtually impossible to complete in the US Caribbean given current data sources. The primary impediment in formal stock assessments stems from the lack of scientifically defensible data required for species of the deep-water snapper-grouper complex, a systemic problem for tropical marine fisheries in the Caribbean.

This project is built upon the results and recommendations of three prior deep-water fishery-independent studies: (1) a deep-water fishery-independent hook and line survey developed in Puerto Rico during 2015-2018 by researchers from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS; Ault et al., 2018a); (2) a fishery-independent multi-gear survey in the Hawaiian Islands conducted by commercial fishers and scientists from NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center and RSMAS (Richards et al. 2016; Ault et al. 2018b) and (3) a NOAA CRP project that is developing lighted stereo-video camera arrays to use in combination with hook and line fishing (2018-present).

Prior to the creation of this project, there was no existing fishery-independent survey operating in deep-water in the US Virgin Islands. The pilot study utilizing hook and line methods conducted by Ault et al. (2018a) in Puerto Rico from 2015-2018 found that a depth-rugosity stratification scheme would reduce sampling efforts by 46% for queen snapper and 36% for silk snapper when compared to a simple random survey design. By doing so, the pilot study resulted in CVs of mean CPUE ranging from 13-15% for queen and silk snapper. Therefore, results from the previous study will be used to implement an optimized fishery-independent hook and line survey in deep-water reefs around the US Virgin Islands.

The goal of this project is to implement a fishery-independent survey for reef-fishes in the US Virgin Islands at 20 – 450 m, within 12 miles of coast and 20 miles from port of departure. The objective is to generate indices of abundance and size structure for commercially important snapper and grouper species, with an emphasis on queen snapper Etelis oculatus, silk snapper Lutjanus vivanus, blackfin snapper L. buccanella, vermilion snapper Rhomboplites aurobens, wenchman snapper Pristipomoides aquilonaris, and cardinal snapper P. macrophthalmus; and misty grouper Hyporthodus mystacinus. Data will be used to generate indices of abundance and size composition data for use in stock assessments.

II. Scope of Work

The Contractor shall provide vessels, captains, and observers that meet the specifications outlined in this document. The vessels will be used in performing deployment and retrieval of hook and line fishing equipment at each station and general fish information of targeted and incidental catch. The vessel(s) will be required to complete a total of no less than 100 stations, as determined by an initial survey design site selection.

III. Tasks:

Sampling will be conducted by commercial fishing vessels around St. Thomas and St. John, US Virgin Islands. The vessel daily rate shall include services of captain and observer on board, fuel for the commercial vessel to complete the scientific work, transit to and from port, cost of bait for the scientific work for the hook and line fishing, the deep-drop fishing gear including line, hooks, reels, floats, or weights. Fishers may need to mobilize from ports outside of their homeport to target all fishing stations selected for sampling.

Datasheets will be provided by NOAA fisheries The contractor is responsible for providing an observer to conduct the required field work. Data collection protocols, electronic data entry, and datasheet uploading shall be conducted by the observer(s) in accordance with the NOAA protocols defined and provided for this project.

One hundred (100) sampling sites will be selected at random, island wide, stratified by depth and rugosity class as defined by University of Miami Rosenstiel Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) and National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) multibeam backscatter and bathymetry data.

· Sampling depths will range from 20 to 450 m and will not exceed a distance further than 20 miles from the US Virgin Islands port or 12 miles from land, as required by the US Coast Guard for vessels without life rafts.

· Site name, corresponding coordinates, depth, and rugosity class will be provided by NOAA Fisheries to the contractor.

The contractor will be responsible for distributing sample site lists to the commercial fishing vessels and observers.

This project will utilize commercial fishermen operating their own vessels with a local fishery observer onboard in the US Virgin Islands to collect data needed to generate CPUE, length composition, diversity indices, and distribution information for both exploited and non-target species using standardized hook and line fishing methods around the island. Selected sites will utilize two differing bait types while fishing (Loligo and tuna).

· The allotted soak time for the fishing line will not exceed 1 hour at each station. The fishing equipment must be deployed in the corresponding grid provided on the datasheet. This field setup will remain standardized for the entirety of this proposed project.

The exact latitude and longitude in decimal degrees will be recorded at the exact time the fishing line undergoes deployment and retrieval by the observer on board, as will depth.

The sampling day will consist of an average of 5 successful hook and line drops, but may vary based on location of sites and weather.

Fishers are allowed to sell or keep the catch after necessary species ID and length measurements are taken from target species by the observer, within their legal fishing seasons and size limits. Fishers are allowed to sell other species that are not species of interest for this project within the legal fishing seasons and size limits after length measurements and species ID is taken by the observer.

IV. Period of Performance:

The contract period of performance will be from October 1st, 2024 – September 30th, 2025.

V. Place of Performance:

The contract will take place at the Consulting entity’s facility in the US Virgin Islands. The field work will take place aboard commercial fishing vessels in the US Virgin Islands territorial and EEZ waters.

VI. Deliverable Schedule The Contractor will deliver the following to the Project Lead and Contracting Officer Representative if no other designee is listed:

VII. Government Furnished Resources:

The Government will provide all necessary information, data and documents to the Contractor for work required under this contract.

The Contractor shall use Government furnished supplies only for the performance of work under this contract, and shall be responsible for returning all Government furnished supplies in good working condition, subject to normal wear and tear.

The Government will provide to the Contractor the following supplies, and similar, necessary to conduct these services and anticipates facility and security access as follows:

VIII. Travel: NA IX. Security Requirements The contractor will not require access to Federal Buildings, DOC Systems.

X. Applicable Standards

NA

XI. Special Requirements Must have necessary permits for fishing in territorial waters.

a. Confidentiality and Data Privacy This contract may require that services contractors have access to Privacy Information. Services contractors are responsible for maintaining confidentiality of all subjects and materials and may be required to sign and adhere to a Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA).

b. Intellectual Property Rights All deliverables are the property of the U.S. Government. All documents, analyses, files (digital or other), reports, notes and photos are to be used only by Contractor personnel assigned to this purchase order. Documents, files and other data are to be stored exclusively on Government owned equipment and at no point should be saved or archived on personal drives or devices. Copies are not to be disseminated to anyone outside of the NMFS or to any other contractor personnel without explicit release from the Government.

c. IT Security The contractor will not require access to Federal Buildings, DOC Systems and does not include an IT component.

d. Section 508 Compliance Pursuant to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d) as amended by P.L. 105-220 under Title IV (Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998), all Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) developed, procured, maintained and/or used under this contract shall be in compliance with the “Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards” set forth by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (also referred to as the “Access Board”) in 36 CFR Part 1194. The complete text of Section 508 Standards can be accessed at http://www.access-board.gov/ or at http://www.section508.gov.

XII. Inclusion of Clause 52.217-8 Inclusion of FAR clause 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services, in the solicitation and resultant contract is for use by the Government as outlined at FAR 37.111, Extension of Services.

XIII. Required Knowledge and Experience:

· The contractor will have experience working with commercial fishers using vertical line gear in the waters around the US Virgin Islands.

· The contractor will also have knowledge of both the deep and shallow water snapper-grouper fishery in the US Virgin Islands.

· The contractor will have a working relationship with commercial fishers and the means to hire and train observers in the US Virgin Islands.

XIV. Evaluation Factors:

The Government will issue an order resulting from this request for quotation to the responsible offeror whose quotation results in the best value to the Government, considering both price and non-price factors. The following factors will be used to evaluate quotations:

Factor 1--TECHNICAL APPROACH. The quotation will be evaluated on how the offeror intends to organize, staff and manage the contract and the means that will be used to accomplish the contract requirements. The degree to which the quotation demonstrates an understanding of the requirements will be evaluated, as well as the offeror's planned management of consultants and subcontractors, if applicable.

Factor 2 -EXPERIENCE. The offeror's background, experience, and qualifications will be assessed to determine the likelihood that that offeror can successfully perform the contract requirements and the degree of the risk of non-performance. Specifically, professional experience in the US Virgin Islands commercial fishery vessels (with a minimum of five years’ experience) and the ability to recruit and hire an observer who is capable of assisting with biological sampling, recording necessary information as documented in this SOW at sea, and hook and line sampling.

Factor 3 - COST/PRICE. The proposed prices/costs will be evaluated. The cost evaluation will determine whether the proposed costs are realistic, complete, and reasonable in relation to the solicitation requirements. Proposed costs must be entirely compatible with the technical approach.

Project Lead:

Kevin McCarthy:

E-Mail: kevin.j.mccarthy@noaa.gov Phone: (305) 361-4492

Contracting Officer Representative:

E-Mail: charlotte.mcclendon@noaa.gov Phone: (601) 207-4504