Attachment D RFB 758 2100000681 - Contract Fishing Short Form.pdf

RFB 758 2100000681 – Short-Form Application

COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY

Request for Bid – Short-Form Application

RFB 758 2100000681 – Commercial Asian Carp Fishers on the Ohio River FAP 110-10-00 – General Conditions and Instructions for Solicitations and Contracts:

https://finance.ky.gov/services/policies/Documents/FAP%20110-10-00.pdf

Instructions: Please fill out all spaces below with your information. Check all requirements that you meet. The link above will take you to general conditions and instructions.

Application must be signed in ink.

All qualified applicants will be required to provide a notarized affidavit and other supporting documents as required.

Name Address

Telephone Number E-Mail Address Federal Employers Tax ID (FEIN)

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) will be operating an Ohio River Asian carp removal program. Qualified commercial fisherman may complete this application to be considered for employment at a rate of $1000/ day (8 hours) to net and remove Asian carp from river pools, as directed under the supervision of KDFWR. Successful applicants will be required to provide supporting documentation, including a notarized Affidavit & KY Tax Permit. Other documentation may be required.

You must meet the following requirements to qualify to receive a contract to participate.

1. ___________ A VALID AND CURRENT COMMERCIAL FISHING LICENSE

2. ___________ A VALID AND CURRENT BOAT REGISTRATION FROM YOUR STATE OF RESIDENCE

3. ___________ REQUIRED STANDARDS FOR MANDATORY EQUIPMENT (SEE ATTACHED)

4. ___________ REQUIRED COMMERCIAL FISHING EXPERIENCE (SEE ATTACHED)

5. ___________ REQUIRED COMMERCIAL ASIAN CARP FISHING EXPERIENCE (SEE ATTACHED)

SIGNATURE ___________________________Date ________

By signing the short-form application, the bidder acknowledges all terms and requirements of the originating RFB.

https://finance.ky.gov/services/policies/Documents/FAP%20110-10-00.pdf

PROGRAM DETAILS

Water to be fished:

The KDFWR manages the Ohio River pools for the purpose of implementing and providing fish and wildlife programs in accordance with an approved Federal Aid Wildlife Management Plan.

The pools considered for contract removal are currently Newburgh, Cannelton, and McAlpine and their contiguous tributaries. However, as invasive carp populations are fished down through program efforts, our intent is to expand down river in an effort to push back the invasion front. Fishing locations will be cleared with the KDFWR point of contact (POC) and permission to fish restricted waters will be at the discretion of the project authority.

Fish considered to be Asian carp:

Asian carp include four highly invasive species: silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), and black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus). All other species caught through participation in this program are ineligible for harvest and shall be returned immediately to the water from which they were taken.

Mandatory Requirements:

Fishermen will be required to:

1. Have a minimum of three years commercial fishing experience. Qualifying commercial fishing experience may consist of a combination of years holding a commercial fishing license and as a commercial helper (documentation required). However, all eligible fishers must have a MINIMUM of two (2) years of prior experience holding a valid commercial fishing license (Please provide documentation if license was held outside of the state of Kentucky);

2. Be familiar with the identification, behavior, preferred habitat, and methods of targeting Asian carp species, in addition to being proficient with gill netting and other passive and active commercial capture gears and side-scan sonar technology;

3. Provide all labor, materials, and equipment necessary to carry out the contract and have adequate help to assist with daily harvests;

4. Have a minimum of 1,000 yards (3,000 ft) of Trammel/gill netting for use in the program as follows:

a. Minimum of 900 total feet of 3.25 to 3.75-inch webbing and;

b. Minimum of 900 total feet of greater than 3.75 up to 4.50-inch webbing and;

c. Minimum of 600 total feet of greater than 4.50 up to 5.25-inch webbing and;

d. Minimum of 600 total feet of greater than 5.25-inch webbing

5. Have a boat and motor(s) that meet the following minimum requirements:

a. Plate aluminum work boat – at least 22 feet in length and space for essential crew and one agency appointed observer, along with storage capacity for harvested fish

b. Outboard with a minimum of 75 horsepower – capable of moving a boat, crew, and harvests to and from fishing locations safely

c. Safety equipment and personal flotation devices (PFD) – boats and equipment should be in good working order and compliant with coast guard safety standards

d. Fishing electronics – any unit capable of providing data on water temperature, sonar, and side-imaging

6. Have an adequate towing vehicle capable of handling boat transportation to and from designated removal sites and the hauling of harvests for sale or disposal;

7. If hauling fish within Kentucky, have the necessary Kentucky Department of Transportation identification permits, insurance cards, and federal transportation tags required for commercial hauling of fish;

8. Remove all Asian carp fish species caught from waters during fishing efforts and be responsible for disposing of harvested Asian carps. Asian carp harvested may be sold to any willing buyer or disposed of in any lawful manner;

9. Agree to fish when contacted, for a minimum of two days (river and weather permitting) within the week being scheduled. A fishing day is defined as eight (8) active hours on the water traveling between fishing locations or deploying and retrieving nets. Refusal to fish when contacted on three or more occasions annually may be justification for termination of your contract agreement;

10. Submit itemized invoices (by date) digitally to the KDFWR POC to allow for clear identification of days worked and if proration was applied to removal services. The KDFWR can provide an invoice template as an example, if necessary;

11. Allow fisheries biologists or appointed observers onboard to observe and record fish harvesting efforts. Observers will report the amount and mesh size of netting deployed each day, keep a record of harvests and bycatch, and may take other information as required. Fishermen must coordinate with observers such that observers are given the opportunity to be present when retrieving fish from nets;

12. Hold a Kentucky commercial fishing license or Asian Carp Harvest Program license and complete monthly reports, as is required, in addition to providing the KDFWR POC information including boat launch dates, times, fishing locations, and launch sites in advance of program activities.

The KDFWR will provide information on probable locations of high densities of Asian carp as is possible and contracted fishermen may be asked to fish in a number of locations within the active management zone (currently Newburgh through McAlpine pools and connected waters). Contracted commercial fishermen will be allowed access to Kentucky waters otherwise restricted to commercial fishing, but the contracted fishermen will follow 301 KAR 1:152 regulations and only harvest bighead, silver, grass, and black carp through this program. All other non-target species will be returned to the water immediately.

Waters restricted to commercial fishing in Indiana will be subject to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (INDNR) rules and regulations and any exceptions that Indiana may provide in collaboration with this program.

There are locations during some seasons where paddlefish congregate. The KDFWR staff will inform contracted fishermen as to when and where the risk for paddlefish bycatch is higher, and those areas will be avoided as is possible. The KDFWR or its partner agencies may require a sub-sample of carp be provided from each contracted fishermen for biological data collection. The KDFWR will inform contracted fishermen of all known Kentucky Asian carp buyers.

Successful bidders shall be notified in advance of a scheduled date and are required to coordinate with the KDFWR and on-board observers to determine launch sites and fishing locations to which they will report. They may independently deploy to work sites on any day of the week, however, they must make arrangements to have INDNR or KDFWR “observers” on board for all harvest dates and times (cleared in advance with the KDFWR POC).

Contracted fishermen will be paid $1,000 for each day of work ($125 per hour for 8 hours of removal).

Payment will be processed weekly based on the number of days worked from Sunday through Saturday, and the amount of payments will be dependent upon the number of days worked during the previous week. On days where fishermen work less than a full eight (8) hour period, a written explanation and proration of services ($125/hour) will be expected on invoices submitted to KDFWR.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Multiple contracts will be awarded when necessary to cover management areas. Contracts will be valid from the time that the awards are initiated and continue until available funding is exhausted (dependent on funding levels through federal grants). The successful bidders will be notified three days in advance of any schedule changes when possible and should strive to provide the same courtesy to the KDFWR POC. Changing river conditions may require less time for notification.

Success and continuation of this program will be dependent upon the total annual Asian carp harvest amounts from Ohio River target areas. For that reason, the KDFWR expects contracted fishermen to provide sufficient effort and time to justify the funds being expended for the project. Fishermen who consistently harvest the largest amounts of Asian carp may be given priority when scheduling so as to make the greatest impact on invasive populations for the purpose of invasive species control. Contracts with commercial fishermen may be canceled at any time by the KDFWR or by the contracted commercial fishermen. The length of all contracts will be limited by funding available to the project.