Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00070
The Lake Roosevelt Burbot Maturation grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00070) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. Created on December 14, 2016, with an original closing date of December 21, 2016, it was structured as a single-source award under Department of the Interior Policy 505 DM 2.14 B(4) on the basis of unique qualifications. The notice indicates that Montana State University was selected because it is part of the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), a partnership framework commonly used by DOI agencies to support applied research and technical assistance through universities and other partners. The funding amount for this effort had an award ceiling of $75,000, with one expected award.
The project focuses on Lake Roosevelt burbot, supporting the recreational fishery by filling practical knowledge gaps about reproduction that directly affect how managers estimate population status and set harvest strategies. The core purpose is to develop reliable, field-relevant information about gametogenesis, the biological process of egg and sperm development, so that fishery scientists can better assess where the population stands and build more accurate harvest models. In a system like Lake Roosevelt, understanding reproductive timing and maturity patterns is essential because population trends and sustainable harvest limits depend heavily on how many adults are able to spawn successfully each season and how those dynamics vary across years.
The work is organized around three main objectives. First, it aims to describe gametogenesis and the endocrine profile in adult burbot from Lake Roosevelt. In practical terms, this means documenting how gonads develop through different maturity stages and pairing those observations with hormone patterns that track reproductive condition. Establishing those relationships creates a biological baseline that managers and researchers can use to interpret maturity and spawning potential from measurable physiological indicators, rather than relying only on external appearance or limited seasonal sampling.
Second, the project seeks to develop non-invasive and less-invasive tools to determine sex and stage of maturity. This objective reflects a management need to gather accurate reproductive data while minimizing stress, injury, and mortality in sampled fish. Non-invasive approaches typically involve methods that do not require surgery or lethal sampling, while less-invasive approaches reduce the degree of handling or tissue collection. Tools that allow field crews to identify sex and maturity stage more quickly and safely can increase sample sizes, improve data quality, and reduce impacts on a recreational fishery population.
Third, the grant targets the development of non-invasive and non-lethal (or minimally invasive) methods to predict spawning readiness and the likelihood of successful spawning. This is a step beyond simply classifying maturity stage; it is about forecasting whether an individual is close to spawning and whether spawning is likely to occur successfully. If managers can reliably estimate spawning readiness without sacrificing fish, they can monitor reproductive output more effectively, evaluate year-to-year variability in reproductive condition, and feed that information into population assessments and harvest models.
Overall, this opportunity supports applied fisheries research at the intersection of reproductive biology and fishery management. By combining detailed reproductive staging with endocrine profiling and emphasizing practical diagnostic tools that reduce harm to fish, the project is designed to produce information that can be used directly in monitoring programs and management decisions for the Lake Roosevelt recreational burbot fishery.Apply for F17AS00070
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the information and statistics, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Lake Roosevelt Burbot Maturation" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.650.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 14, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 21, 2016 This Single Source Award is being awarded in accordance with Department of the Interior Policy 505 DM 2.14 B (4) Unique Qualifications. Montana State University is a member of the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Study Unit (CESU).. (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 $75,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Lake Roosevelt Burbot Maturation (F17AS00070) - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Lake Roosevelt Burbot Maturation grant opportunity?
The Lake Roosevelt Burbot Maturation grant opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). It supports applied fisheries research focused on burbot reproduction in Lake Roosevelt, with the goal of improving fishery monitoring and management.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this notice?
The Funding Opportunity Number is F17AS00070.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.
What type of funding mechanism is used?
The notice describes the award as a discretionary cooperative agreement.
When was this opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on December 14, 2016, and had an original closing date of December 21, 2016.
Was this a competitive opportunity or a single-source award?
It was structured as a single-source award under Department of the Interior Policy 505 DM 2.14 B(4), based on unique qualifications.
How many awards were expected?
The notice indicates one expected award.
What was the maximum funding amount available?
The award ceiling for this effort was $75,000.
Who was selected for the award and why?
Montana State University was selected. The notice indicates the selection was tied to unique qualifications, including that Montana State University is part of the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), a partnership framework commonly used by DOI agencies to support applied research and technical assistance through universities and other partners.
What is the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) and how does it relate to this award?
The Rocky Mountain CESU is described as a partnership framework used by DOI agencies to support applied research and technical assistance through universities and other partners. In this notice, Montana State University being part of that CESU is cited as part of the rationale for the single-source selection.
What fish species and location does the project focus on?
The project focuses on burbot in Lake Roosevelt.
What is the overall purpose of the project?
The project is designed to fill practical knowledge gaps about burbot reproduction that affect how managers estimate population status and set harvest strategies. A core purpose is developing reliable, field-relevant information about gametogenesis (egg and sperm development) so fishery scientists can better assess population condition and build more accurate harvest models.
How does this work support the Lake Roosevelt recreational burbot fishery?
By improving understanding of reproductive timing, maturity patterns, and spawning readiness, the project helps managers better estimate population status and set sustainable harvest strategies that support the recreational fishery.
Why is understanding reproductive timing and maturity patterns important in Lake Roosevelt?
The notice explains that sustainable harvest limits and population trends depend heavily on how many adults spawn successfully each season and how those dynamics vary across years. Understanding timing and maturity patterns improves the basis for population assessment and harvest modeling.
What is gametogenesis in the context of this project?
Gametogenesis is the biological process of egg and sperm development. In this project, the goal is to develop reliable, field-relevant information on gametogenesis to improve how reproductive status and spawning potential are assessed for management purposes.
What are the main objectives of the project?
The work is organized around three objectives: (1) describe gametogenesis and the endocrine profile in adult Lake Roosevelt burbot, (2) develop non-invasive and less-invasive tools to determine sex and stage of maturity, and (3) develop non-invasive and non-lethal (or minimally invasive) methods to predict spawning readiness and likelihood of successful spawning.
What does it mean to describe gametogenesis and the endocrine profile in adult burbot?
This objective involves documenting how gonads develop through different maturity stages and pairing those observations with hormone patterns that track reproductive condition. The intent is to establish relationships that can be used as a biological baseline for interpreting maturity and spawning potential using measurable physiological indicators.
What management value comes from linking gonad development with hormone patterns?
According to the notice, establishing these relationships allows managers and researchers to interpret maturity and spawning potential from physiological indicators rather than relying only on external appearance or limited seasonal sampling.
What does the project mean by non-invasive and less-invasive tools for determining sex and maturity?
The notice states that non-invasive approaches are methods that do not require surgery or lethal sampling, while less-invasive approaches reduce the degree of handling or tissue collection. The objective is to gather accurate reproductive data while minimizing stress, injury, and mortality in sampled fish.
Why is minimizing harm to sampled fish an objective of this work?
The notice frames this as a management need: accurate reproductive data should be collected while minimizing stress, injury, and mortality, particularly because the population supports a recreational fishery and monitoring activities can impact fish.
How could improved field tools affect monitoring programs?
The notice suggests that tools enabling field crews to identify sex and maturity stage more quickly and safely can increase sample sizes, improve data quality, and reduce impacts on the population.
How is predicting spawning readiness different from classifying maturity stage?
The notice describes spawning readiness prediction as a step beyond maturity staging. It focuses on forecasting whether an individual is close to spawning and whether spawning is likely to occur successfully, not just assigning a maturity category.
What is meant by non-lethal or minimally invasive methods in this project?
The project emphasizes approaches that avoid sacrificing fish and either do not harm fish (non-lethal) or reduce the degree of intrusion (minimally invasive), while still enabling reliable predictions of spawning readiness and likely spawning success.
How will the project outputs be used by fishery managers?
The notice indicates outputs will be used directly in monitoring programs and management decisions by improving reproductive assessment, supporting evaluation of year-to-year variability in reproductive condition, and feeding that information into population assessments and harvest models.
What kind of research does this opportunity support?
It supports applied fisheries research at the intersection of reproductive biology and fishery management, combining reproductive staging, endocrine profiling, and practical diagnostic tools intended for field use.
What specific population-management decisions can this work inform?
Based on the notice, the work can inform estimation of population status and development of harvest strategies by improving how spawning potential, spawning readiness, and year-to-year reproductive variability are measured and incorporated into harvest models.
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