Panama_City_Flynet_SOW_2018.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

2018 Charter of a Commercial Fishing Vessel for Evaluation of Flynet TED Prototypes

C.1 SCOPE OF WORK:

The Contractor shall provide a vessel with the equipment identified elsewhere in this document;

captain and crew; and all other material necessary to complete the work identified below.

C.2 BACKGROUND:

C.2.1. Flynet trawls are currently exempt from turtle excluder device (TED) regulations. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is considering the implementation of TED regulations for the flynet fishery, pending the development of practical and efficient TEDs for these large trawls. The NMFS Harvesting Systems branch has been working cooperatively with several North Carolina flynet fishermen to develop a working TED and to assess the effect which TEDs may have on the target catch. The proposed vessel charter of 8 days will allow NMFS to complete necessary diver evaluations of TED prototypes.

C.2.2. The proposed work will provide video for evaluation and continue efforts by NMFS to develop a working TED for the flynet fishery through the charter of a commercial stern trawler.

The proposed charter will be conducted in Panama City, Florida prior to September 30, 2018.

The chartered vessel will be used to test and evaluate prototype TEDs for a period of 6 working days. In addition, 2 additional contract days will be required to allow the vessel to steam to and from the project location. Using the chartered vessel as a platform, the gear modifications will be evaluated by NMFS gear specialists and NMFS working divers. We anticipate the following dates for the base period; June 11-18, 2018 and option period, if needed from June 19 – 21, 2018.

C.3. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

The work described herein will consist of flynet TED prototype evaluations and will be conducted prior to September 30, 2018.

C.4. Description of Work:

C.4.1.: Eight Day Vessel Charter

Day 1, 2018 The chartered vessel will arrive at the NMFS Laboratory dock in Panama City, Florida.

Overnight dockage for the charter vessel will be provided at the NMFS Panama City facility.

Arrival should be no later than 11:30 PM.

Day 2, 2018 The workday will begin at 7:00 AM. A 5-man team of NMFS gear specialists will rig the vessel for trawling operations. NMFS working divers will load their gear and board the vessel. A briefing will be held by the field party chief (FPC) to discuss the day’s work plan and safety procedures for diving operations. The vessel will depart the dock no later than 12:00 PM and proceed to the offshore towing lane established by the NMFS team (1 hour run). A small dive boat will accompany the vessel to the offshore site. Operations will be conducted along a 3 mile towing lane approximately ¼ mile offshore of Shell Island in 30 to 40 feet of water depth.

During the course of the workday, the captain will be instructed to deploy and retrieve the flynet trawl, making multiple tows of approximately 1 hour in duration. Before each tow begins, a 3-diver team will disembark the vessel and board the dive boat. Once the trawl is deployed and on the bottom, divers will enter the water from the NMFS dive boat and begin trawl evaluations. At the end of the dive, divers will be picked up by the NMFS dive boat and returned to the vessel.

NMFS gear specialists may instruct the captain and crew to operate the net reel multiple times during the course of the day in order to evaluate the flexibility of the prototype TEDs. Offshore operations will be completed no later than 5:00 PM each day as determined by the FPC. The vessel captain will be instructed to return to the Panama City Laboratory dock facility in order to disembark the NMFS team. All NMFS work aboard the vessel should be completed no later than 7:00 PM each day. Overnight dockage for the charter vessel will be provided at the NMFS Panama City facility.

Day 3 through 7, 2018 For subsequent days, the same work description as the previous afternoon will apply. The vessel will depart the dock at 7:00 AM and return no later than 7:00 PM. Overnight dockage for the charter vessel will be provided at the NMFS Panama City facility.

Day 8, 2018 The chartered vessel will depart the NMFS Laboratory dock in Panama City, Florida and steam back to its home port. Departure should be no later than 11:00 AM unless tides require a later departure.

C.4.2. In addition to the eight days required, an option for eight (3) additional contract days may be needed depending on delays due to weather, additional work identified and availability of funds.

C.5. Vessel Schedule:

Day1 (6/11/18) Vessel arrives at NMFS Panama City laboratory dock no later than 11:30

PM.

Day 2-7 (6/12-17/18) Project work: 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Day 8 (6/18/18) Vessel returns to homeport.

3-day Option period if needed (6/19-21/18)

C.6. Vessel Requirements:

1. Stern trawler fishing vessel with gallast rigging and hydraulic net reel with capacity for holding a single 85-foot headrope flynet (high opening bottom trawl).

2. Vessel engine power sufficient to tow 85 ft. headrope length flynet spread by 3 meter, steel

“V” doors at a minimum of 3.5 knots over the bottom.

C.7. Other Vessel Equipment Requirements:

1. Fathometer- for determining bottom depth.

2. Radar

3. GPS vessel positioning unit.

4. Vessel track plotter.

5. Vessel must have current U.S. Coast Guard Safety Inspection certification.

C.8. Crew Requirements:

1. Captain and crew experienced in deployment, retrieval and repair of large mesh, high opening bottom trawls and trawl doors.

2. Captain and crew experienced in installation of TEDs and TED components.

3. Captain and crew experienced in conducting towed fishing gear evaluations involving

SCUBA divers.

C.4.1.: Eight Day Vessel Charter