NMFS Northeast Region

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Groups interested in implementing either the tagging effort, or initial data gathering, can submit proposals until September 13. The resulting data should improve understanding of cod movement, as well as provide new information on cod essential habitat, and fish behavior, with the ultimate goal of expanding the information base for management of Atlantic cod.

Complete call for proposals, application and evaluation information are available here.

"Cooperation and participation from a wide range of fishermen and researchers is key to the success of this effort," said project manager Earl Meredith of the NOAA Fisheries Cooperative Research Partners Initiative (CRPI), which is funding the program. "Any groups that can provide the kind of grassroots organization and on-the-ground logistics required for widespread and successful tagging, as well as initial data collection, are encouraged to submit a proposal," he said.

Since 2000, the CRPI has funded eighteen smaller projects totaling close to $4 million, and will fund another half-dozen or so this year for about $640,000. Some $6.5 million is being used for three large scale, multi-year projects: this cod-tagging work, development of fleet-based survey capacity, and a study fleet. Areas of research interest for CRPI funding were derived by matching information needs for groundfish management with research interests from a broad array of regional fishery managers, fishing operations, and research institutions.

Proposals for the cod-tagging project must be received by 4:30 PM EDT on September 13, 2002 . Questions about research objectives and proposal preparation should be directed to Nick Anderson at nick.anderson@noaa.gov or 978 281 9383.