Fish and Wildlife Coordinatination and Assitance Program

This is an announcement for issuing a single source financial assistance award. This announcement is for notification purposes only. The Atlantic Flyway Shorebird Initiative (AFSI) Business Plan was developed to identify a suite of strategies and actions that were needed to conserve 15 focal shorebirds species in the Atlantic Flyway. Since the launch of the plan, significant progress has been made in building further engagement in the Caribbean and South America, and in the coordination of both local and regional conservation efforts across the flyway. However, there is a growing need for the priority strategies and actions as identified through processes in the Caribbean and South America to be integrated into the Business Plan, in addition to the accomplishments to date. The long-term (≥ 10 years) outcomes of this project will contribute to the consolidation of a long-term platform for stability and recovery of shorebird populations within the Atlantic Flyway, which by 2025 will 1) maintains or increases both the extent and values of shorebird habitat compared to 2015, and 2) Increases target shorebird populations by 10%. In the short-term (by project end), the project will update the AFSI Business Plan to: 1) better reflect shorebird conservation opportunities and needs in the Caribbean and South America, incorporating relevant priorities and strategies; and 2) build upon the accomplishments and lessons learned to date from implementation of the plan. This program aligns with Departmental funding Priority 1, creating a conservation stewardship legacy second only to Teddy Roosevelt, as it promotes natural resource conservation through sustainable use integrating the best information for the conservation of migratory shorebirds. By engaging with local and international partners, this program aligns with Priority 3, restoring trust with our local communities, by improving relationships and expanding lines of communication to local communities in developing conservation solutions. The program also addresses Priority 7, striking a regulatory balance, by providing information outside of the U.S. for decisions concerning the ESA-listed Red Knot.