F24AS00190 - Yukon River Salmon Research and Management Assistance FY 2024

The Yukon River Salmon Research and Management Assistance (R&M Fund) is administered by the Fisheries Program of Region 7.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) receives funds for implementation of the Yukon River Salmon Agreement of 2000 (Agreement) with Canada. The Agreement authorizes funds for the implementation of the Agreement including funds for cooperative research and management projects on the Alaska Portion of the Yukon River. The Service administers these funds through financial assistance on a competitive basis for projects, studies, and events that advance the scientific and public community’s understanding of the biology and management of salmon, with focus on Yukon River Chinook and Chum salmon stocks in Alaska. The following is a request for Detailed Project Proposal of one year in length addressing the needs of the priority general Categories and Factors and specific near-term needs listed below.Funding will support work beginning in May 2024 with project activities completed in 2025. Applicants are strongly encouraged to develop projects that incorporate local capacity with members of Yukon River communities in which they may be working. Coordinating projects with state and federal regulatory agencies is also recommended, but not mandatory. The U.S. Delegation of the Yukon River Panel (Panel) has laid out the following general Categories and corresponding Factors for the Fiscal Year 2024 R&M Fund. The four categories will be used as evaluation criteria for each proposal and are listed in descending order of importance from highest (Priority 1) to lowest (Priority 4). The factors within each category are not prioritized.Category: Assess and achieve fishery management objectives (Priority 1).1. Develop and/or improve in-season run size and stock specific estimates at the mouth of the Yukon River.2. Develop or incorporate new methodologies and/or approaches to improve management and research capability.3. Develop and expand the genetic baseline for Alaska Yukon River Basin salmon stocks.4. Identify stock composition of salmon runs through genetic stock identification.5. Monitor salmon escapements by Alaskan Genetic Groupings.Category: Build and maintain public support of, and meaningful participation in, salmon resource management (Priority 2).1. Build and maintain community capacity.2. Develop mutual understandings between agencies and the public, best demonstrated by a third party.3. Encourage conservation principles of the salmon resources.4. Encourage stewardship of the resource.5. Promote public values of the salmon resource.Category: Improve understanding of salmon biology and ecology (Priority 3).1. Assessment of the quality of escapements (e.g., age/size/sex; health).2. Develop population estimates for Alaskan Yukon River Basin salmon stocks.3. Investigate relationships between salmon and their physical environment.4. Investigate relationships between salmon and other organisms.Category: Assess, conserve and restore salmon habitats (Priority 4).1. Habitat monitoring.2. Identify and characterize salmon spawning and rearing habitats.3. Identify and evaluate potential impacts to habitat.4. Identify and monitor key salmon spawning streams/areas (index streams).5. Identify and implement restoration opportunities.The Panel has also identified two near term priority needs. Proposals that fall within the scope of the following priorities will receive additional points during the review process. Each proposal should incorporate elements of the Factors listed above.1. Yukon River fall Chum Salmon stock assessment and genetics.Description of Focused Priority: Fall Chum Salmon are an important resource within the Yukon, with the decline in the Chinook Salmon populations, there has been a trend towards a greater utilization of fall Chum Salmon particularly in communities unable to harvest other salmon species throughout the year. Although recent annual run sizes of Fall Chum Salmon have been healthy, the Panel is seeking proposals that utilize genetics to improve the mixed stock analysis of fall Chum Salmon in the harvest or the stock assessment of fall Chum Salmon returning to the Teedriinjik (Chandalar) and Porcupine rivers.2. Yukon River salmon management awareness and participation.Description of Focused Priority: There are over 42 communities within the Alaska portion of the Yukon River basin. These communities have diverse needs; however, they all significantly rely on salmon for a food resource. An informed and involved public is critical to effectively manage and conserve Yukon salmon stocks. The Panel seeks to build on past successes through supporting projects that increase awareness and participation in management and conservation of Yukon River salmon stocks. The Panel invites proposals that work towards public education and multi stakeholder planning efforts necessary to develop and sustain locally-supported approaches for management.