Conduct Fall Chinook Salmon Spawning Escapement Enumeration Projects | F18AS00166

Opportunity Information: Apply for F18AS00166

The grant opportunity titled "Conduct Fall Chinook Salmon Spawning Escapement Enumeration Projects" (Funding Opportunity Number F18AS00166) is a U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service discretionary grant focused on natural resource monitoring in the Klamath River basin. The project centers on annual spawning escapement surveys carried out by the Karuk Fisheries Program along the mainstem Klamath River, specifically covering the reach from Iron Gate Dam downstream to Happy Camp, California. The work is conducted in cooperation with the Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office and is aimed at producing consistent, on-the-ground counts and observations of wild Fall Chinook salmon spawning activity in the mainstem river.

The core purpose of the project is to generate reliable escapement data that can be used to understand how many adult Chinook successfully return to spawn each year, which is a key indicator of stock status and overall population health. Those survey results are compiled into an annual report produced by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). That CDFW reporting then feeds directly into fishery management decisions, particularly the setting of harvest levels for Klamath River Fall Chinook stocks by the Klamath Fisheries Management Council. In practical terms, the surveys help ensure that fishing opportunities are balanced with conservation needs by grounding harvest decisions in current, locally collected biological data.

A major driver behind this funding action is the loss of previous long-term support for the surveys. Historically, the work was partially funded through the Klamath River Restoration Task Force and the Klamath Restoration Act of 1986. Because the 1986 Act expired in 2006 and the Task Force funding has ended, a significant and ongoing funding gap emerged. This notice reflects an effort to keep a critical monitoring program operating despite the disappearance of earlier funding sources, recognizing that without dedicated support, the surveys could be reduced or interrupted, weakening the data foundation used for management.

The opportunity is also notable for its cooperative, community-based structure. While the Karuk Tribe is identified as a full cooperator and the central implementer of the annual surveys, the effort is supported by a broader network that includes the Karuk Tribal Government, the Salmon River Restoration Council, the Mid Klamath Watershed Council, the Scott Valley California Resource Conservation and Management Program (CRMP), local volunteers, and public schools. This collaborative approach strengthens coverage and continuity, helps build local stewardship and training opportunities, and integrates community participation into a technically important fisheries monitoring task.

Administratively, this posting is a notice of intent that has already been awarded, meaning it is not open for competition and no applications are being accepted. The eligible applicant category listed is federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and in this case the single expected awardee is the Karuk Tribe. The award ceiling is $39,978, with one award anticipated. The funding assistance listing associated with the opportunity is CFDA 15.608, and the opportunity record was created on June 7, 2018. Overall, the grant supports a targeted but essential monitoring program that supplies decision-makers with annual escapement information needed to manage Klamath River Fall Chinook fisheries responsibly.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Conduct Fall Chinook Salmon Spawning Escapement Enumeration Projects" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.608.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 07, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by This opportunity is a notice of intent and has been awarded to the Karuk Tribe. No applications will be accepted.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $39,978.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).

Apply for F18AS00166

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