SPECIAL NOTICE
B -- HABITAT RESTORATION FOR TWO NOAA SPECIES OF CONCERN
- Notice Date
- 6/22/2010
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 611310
— Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service, James J. Howard Marine Sciences Lab, 74 Magruder Road, Highlands, New Jersey, 07732, United States
- ZIP Code
- 07732
- Solicitation Number
- PIRO10-0462
- Archive Date
- 7/10/2010
- Point of Contact
- Denise Rogers, Phone: 808-944-2208
- E-Mail Address
-
DENISE.ROGERS@NOAA.GOV
(DENISE.ROGERS@NOAA.GOV)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Project: Assessment and habitat restoration for two NOAA species of concern (Lingula reevii and Montipora dilatata) in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii STATEMENT OF WORK Background or Problem Statement The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) defines a Species of Concern (SOC) as a species that is not being considered actively for listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) but for which significant concerns or uncertainties regarding its biological status and/or threats exist (69 FR 19975). The purpose of the NMFS SOC Program is to conduct proactive conservation activities under the ESA to preclude the listing of future species, rather than addressing the recovery needs of a species listed. Two of the Pacific Islands Region (PIR) Species of Concern are the Hawaiian reef coral, Montipora dilatata, and the inarticulated brachiopod, Lingula reevii. The inarticulated brachiopod, Lingula reevii, and the Hawaiian reef coral, Montipora dilatata, (a candidate species for listing under the ESA) have declined dramatically over the past few decades, with further declines continuing annually over the past few years. There is a need to build on baseline data collected over the last three years to determine current distributions of these SOC and evaluate spatially-predictive habitat maps constructed in 2009. Specifically, updated distributions and predictive validations of L. reevii and M. dilatata's current and potential habitat will aid the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) in: 1) prioritizing critical areas of current and potential habitat in Kaneohe Bay for management of these SOC; 2) determining whether on-the-ground conservation measures (e.g., continued removal of alien/invasive algae from SOC habitats) will be effective in protecting these species from further declines in Kaneohe Bay; and 3) provide a case study for future spatially predictive modeling and mapping to support best management practices and informed decision making. There is a critical need to continue to assess population sizes, better understand current distributions, and identify all potential habitats for these two SOC in order to support well-informed decisions with respect to their conservation and management. Effective management of SOC requires accurate, spatially explicit information on the current and potential habitat areas in the form of predictive maps, which can help better inform mitigation measures for management decisions. The inarticulated brachiopod, Lingula reevii, is a filter-feeding invertebrate that burrows vertically in soft sediment. It has three recorded occurrences: 1) Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii; 2) Ambon, Indonesia (Cals and Emig 1979); and 3) Japan (Emig 1997). Past surveys of Kaneohe Bay populations suggested a distinct decrease in abundance following the diversion of sewage effluent from the Bay in 1978/1979 (Worcester 1969; Emig 1978, 1981). Based on surveys of L. reevii in 2004 by the University of Hawaii-Manoa (UHM), a dramatic decline from historical densities of this SOC was noted from maximum estimates of 500 individuals/m2 (Worcester 1969) and 100 individuals/m2 (Emig 1981), to a maximum density of only 4 Lingula/m2 observed in 2004 (Hunter et al. 2008). In 2007-2009, researchers with the UHM conducted extensive surveys throughout Kaneohe Bay and found that 1) the L. reevii population had further declined to a maximum average density of 0.94 individuals/m2 in 2007 (Hunter et al. 2007), to 0.87 individuals/m2 in 2008 (Hunter et al. 2009), to 0.09 individuals/m2 in 2009 (Hunter et al. unpublished); and 2) a shift has occurred in the population to deeper reefs and sandy habitats. In 2000, surveys of the Hawaiian reef coral, Montipora dilatata, identified only three colonies in Kaneohe Bay, where it formerly was more abundant. In 2007-2009, UHM researchers as well as coral experts have now positively identified 38 M. dilatata colonies in Kaneohe Bay (although not the same colonies originally identified in 2000, which have not been relocated). One M. dilatata colony that was first positively identified in 2007 was found to have invasive Kappaphycus spp. growing at its perimeter in 2008, threatening to overgrow and kill the colony. Over 1,300 lbs of Kappaphycus spp. in the vicinity (10 m circumference) of the colony were removed in 2008 and an additional 800 pounds removed in 2009, but the threat of regrowth of the alien algae remains. Similar to L. reevii, habitat degradation as a result of sedimentation, pollution, alien/invasive algae species, and a limited distribution may be contributing factors to the apparent decline of this species in Kaneohe Bay. Goals and Objectives Recent findings by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Team (B. Hauk, pers. comm., 2/10) indicate that transplanted sea urchins are successfully maintaining low alien algae abundance in Kaneohe Bay. There is a need to assist the AIS team in transplanting and monitoring sea urchins on Patchreef #44 in the vicinity of threatened M. dilatata colonies. Additional surveys, monitoring, and mapping will be continued to determine if the population decline and apparent habitat shift are continuing for M. dilatata and L. reevii. Further, spatially predictive modeling of potential M. dilatata and L. reevii habitat constructed in 2009 will be evaluated. Specific Tasks The contractor will be responsible for performing the following tasks: 1) Create updated GIS-based distribution maps for M. dilatata and L. reevii in Kaneohe Bay. 2) Continue field surveys to evaluate and provide an accuracy assessment of the spatially predictive models of M. dilatata and L. reevii potential habitat in Kaneohe Bay created in 2009. 3) Quantify the current occurrence of alien/invasive algae in SOC habitats, remove alien/invasive algae in proximity to observed occurrences of M. dilatata, and monitor regrowth of algae (6 months). 4) Transplant and monitor sea urchins as biocontrol agents against alien algae overgrowth of SOC, working in conjunction with the Hawaii DLNR AIS Team. 5) Expand surveys to areas directly outside of Kaneohe Bay (on Oahu) that show potential for SOC environmental requirements, but that have not been surveyed previously (e.g., Kahana Bay, Punaluu, Waimanalo). MILESTONES, PRODUCTS, and SCHEDULE: 2010-2011 Activity J F M A M J J A S O N D Prepare boats, supplies x Kaneohe Bay field surveys x x x Oahu field surveys x x x Prepare GIS-based maps x x x Review and analyze data x x x Transplant and monitor sea urchins x x x x Alien algae removal/monitoring x x x Prepare and submit final report x x x x x Deliverables Results of the 2010/2011 surveys will be submitted as a final report by March 31, 2011, to the NMFS PIRO. Period of Performance The period of performance for this project is from contract issuance to March 31, 2011. REFERENCES Cals, P., & C.C. Emig. 1979. Cah. Indo-Pac. 1:153-164. Emig, C.C. 1978. A redescription of the inarticulated brachiopod Lingula reevii Davidson. Pac Sci 32: 31-34. Emig, C.C. 1981. Observations on the ecology of Lingula reevii. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 52:47-61. Emig, C.C. 1997. Ecology of inarticulated branchiopods. In: Kaesler, R.L. (ed). Treatise Invert Paleo. Hunter, C. 2007. Field surveys for two National Marine Fisheries Species of Concern, Lingula reevii and Montipora dilatata, in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii. A report to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 50 pp. Hunter, C., E. Krause, J. Fitzpatrick, and J. Kennedy. 2008. Current and historic distribution and abundance of the inarticulated brachiopod, Lingula reevii Davidson (1880), in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, USA. Marine Biology 155 (2): 205-210. Hunter, C. 2009. Distribution and abundance of Lingula reevii, in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii. A report to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 25 pp. Worcester, W.S. 1969. Some aspects of the ecology of Lingula in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. M.S. Thesis. UH Zoology Dept, 49 pp.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NOAA/NMFSJJ/PIRO10-0462/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: University of Hawaii, 2530 Dole Street, SAK D200, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96822, United States
- Zip Code: 96822
- Zip Code: 96822
- Record
- SN02184063-W 20100624/100622234855-b6c512217ee4848498222adeb6cd9c29 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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