Fish and Wildlife Coordination and Assistance Programs | F19AS00213

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the name of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled the Fish and Wildlife Coordination and Assistance Programs grant opportunity.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?

The Funding Opportunity Number is F19AS00213.

Which federal agency offered this grant?

This was a discretionary grant offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.

What CFDA program does this opportunity fall under?

It falls under CFDA 15.664, categorized as environmental and natural resources research and development.

When was this funding opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on July 15, 2019.

What was the original application closing date?

The original application closing date was August 12, 2019.

What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The stated maximum award amount (award ceiling) was $447,199.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, such as publicly governed universities and similar research institutions.

What was the main purpose of the project funded by this opportunity?

The purpose was to improve the survival of delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) larvae from refuge stock in a conservation hatchery setting, focusing on larvae raised as single-family, full-sibling groups.

Which species was the project focused on?

The project focused on delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), an endangered species.

What type of setting was the work intended for?

The work was intended for a conservation hatchery setting, specifically supporting refuge-stock fish used to maintain genetic diversity and support recovery efforts.

What does it mean to rear larvae as single-family, full-sibling groups?

In this context, it means larvae are raised in separate groups that each come from the same parents (full siblings), keeping family groups separate rather than mixing them.

Why use single-family group rearing in a conservation hatchery program?

Based on the opportunity description, single-family rearing is used to preserve pedigree information and support careful genetic management, helping maintain genetic diversity in a conservation program.

What challenge was this opportunity trying to address?

The opportunity targeted husbandry challenges and high mortality at the larval stage, particularly when fish are reared in separate single-family groups where preventing mixing and maintaining consistent conditions can be difficult.

What was the core aim of the proposed work?

The core aim was to develop and scale a culture approach that increases recovery (survival) of larval family groups, producing more surviving juveniles while maintaining the family-based structure needed for genetic management.

What were the major objectives of the project?

The objectives included: (1) designing, constructing, and testing a dedicated culture system for separate single-family larval units; (2) optimizing culture conditions and identifying the best timing for consolidating multiple family groups into juvenile rearing tanks; (3) improving rearing conditions for juvenile single families using existing aquaculture systems; and (4) increasing overall production capacity to support large-scale larval rearing.

What kind of system design work was expected?

The project called for designing, constructing, and testing a dedicated culture system that supports rearing larvae in separate single-family, full-sibling units, implying equipment and protocols that prevent mixing while maintaining stable water quality and consistent feeding.

Did the project include testing and optimization, not just construction?

Yes. The objectives explicitly included testing the dedicated culture system and optimizing culture conditions, including evaluating timing and conditions around consolidation into juvenile tanks.

What does "consolidating multiple family groups into juvenile rearing tanks" mean in this opportunity?

It refers to the transition point where separate family groups may be combined into juvenile rearing tanks for efficiency once fish are robust enough, while recognizing that the timing and conditions of this transition can strongly affect survival and stress.

Was juvenile rearing included, or only larval rearing?

Both were included. The project aimed to improve larval survival and also improve rearing conditions for juvenile single families using existing aquaculture systems.

Did the opportunity require scaling up production capacity?

Yes. One of the stated objectives was to increase overall production capacity so the system could support large-scale larval rearing, indicating the deliverable was intended to be scalable beyond a small pilot.

What type of work does this opportunity represent (research vs. operations)?

It targeted applied, conservation-driven aquaculture research and development, focused on creating a reproducible hatchery culture system and operating procedures to increase larval survival and enable reliable production at conservation-relevant scale.

What laws authorized this grant opportunity?

The opportunity was authorized under the Fish and Wildlife Act, the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, the Fish and Wildlife Improvement Act, and the Endangered Species Act.

What does the legal authorization suggest about the intended outcomes?

It indicates the work was intended to support federally recognized conservation and recovery priorities, including endangered species propagation and coordination of activities that benefit fish and wildlife resources.

What is the intended conservation outcome of improving larval survival in this program?

The intended outcome is to produce more surviving juveniles from refuge-stock family groups while maintaining family-based genetic management, supporting longer-term conservation hatchery goals for an endangered species.

Was this opportunity aimed at private companies or nonprofit organizations?

Based on the information provided, eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, so it was geared toward publicly governed research universities and similar institutions rather than private companies or general nonprofits.