May 18, 2022 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
The New England Fishery Management Council seeks the services of an independent contractor to develop and conduct a prototype management strategy evaluation (MSE) for Georges Bank. The protype MSE will be based on the ecosystem-based fishery management (EBFM) strategy in the Council’s example Fishery Ecosystem Plan (eFEP).
This is a short-term, temporary contractor role, commencing on or about August 1, 2022 and ending in January 2023. The intended completion date will depend on the scope and complexity of the work and the MSE proposed by the applicant. The deadline for submitting letters of interest and supporting materials is Wednesday, June 30, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.
The purpose of the prototype MSE is to:
- Showcase a simplified prototype MSE framework and demonstrate how MSE will be used to evaluate EBFM management strategies for a Georges Bank Ecosystem Production Unit, using what we learn to communicate with the public about MSE for EBFM;
- Act as an educational dry run from both a development and an operational perspective;
- Provide an opportunity for the Council and its EBFM Committee to gain experience with the MSE process;
- Identify and work through the types of decisions to be made during an MSE; and
- Identify data sources and develop the models and analyses that will support a full EBFM MSE with broader stakeholder participation in the next phase of the Council’s EBFM development strategy.
The prototype MSE results, while intended to be realistic, are not meant to be actionable in a fishery ecosystem plan. Rather, the results will be used as the basis for a full MSE, which is the next step.
Working with Council staff, the Council’s EBFM Plan Development Team, and a limited number of appointed stakeholders, the contractor will:
- Develop new or expand existing operating models that represent the productivity of and trophic relationships among managed stocks on Georges Bank;
- Identify and apply existing estimation (assessment) models;
- Identify management objectives and candidate management procedures (e.g., harvest control rules) based on the Council’s ecosystem cap and ceilings and floors approach for stock complexes; and
- Provide concise and approachable summaries that show the trade-offs between alternative management procedures to meet multiple objectives.
Complete details about the project background, prototype MSE objectives, statement of work, expected responsibilities and deliverables, desired experience and demonstrated skills, and application submission information can be found in the request for proposals.