The SeaDoc Society funds prominent scientists to conduct important research in the Salish Sea. Proposals for this year’s projects are due February 22 by 5pm. SeaDoc works to ensure the health of marine wildlife and their ecosystems through science and education and does not take policy positions nor serve in an advocacy role.
This year the SeaDoc Society requests proposals only for projects that scientifically address one of the four priority topics below.
Transboundary science and ecosystem management challenges or limitations
The Salish Sea is a transboundary ecosystem, managed by Canadian and US Federal Governments, Washington State, British Columbia, and numerous Coast Salish tribes and First Nations. We seek a project that identifies the complete suite of conflicting or incongruent natural resource policies, laws, or management differences between the US and Canada that complicate or hinder adequately addressing pressing issues related to ecosystem recovery. Examples include (but are not limited to) challenges faced when addressing air quality, water quality or recovery of threatened or endangered species as well as dealing with existing threats such as ocean acidification, increased underwater noise, or invasive species. Funding limitation $30K.
Forage Fish
The Salish Sea has numerous species of small schooling fish that consume plankton and in turn serve as food for numerous other species of fish, bird and mammals. Examples include Clupeiformes like anchovies, herring, and sardine as well as Osmeriformes like multiple capelin, eulachon and multiple smelt species. Despite their important role in the ecosystem, little is known of the biology or abundance for some stocks of forage fish. For some species, even basic stock identification is uncertain. We seek projects that provide important information that will improve forage fish management or recovery (in cases where declines are known). Funding limitation $50K.
Disease affecting marine flora and fauna
Infectious diseases (like viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi) and non-infectious diseases (such as that caused by contaminants, trauma, allergens, and biotoxins) have the capacity to affect population health and hinder species and ecosystem recovery. For example, in their Charter the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program's Disease Working Group identified how disease can influence 11 of 21 vital signs developed by the Puget Sound Partnership. Despite the important role that disease can play in hindering Salish Sea recovery, it is under-studied. We seek projects that address or identify diseases that have the potential to limit recovery of species of concern. Funding limitation $50K.
4. One Health
One health is a field that addresses the inextricable links between human health, wildlife health, and ecosystem health. How the overall health of the wildlife and Salish Sea ecosystem affects human health, and vice versa, is understudied. We seek interdisciplinary research that goes beyond pathogens and parasites described in the above “Disease” section and include other contributing factors such as habitat loss, globalization of trade, land-use pressure, ocean acidification, contaminants, pharmaceuticals, air and water quality, and climate change. We seek projects that not only elucidate the complexity of these relationships but also will help identify intervention or remediation options. Funding limitation $50K.
Proposal Due Date
Email your proposal as a single document (PDF) to Dr. Joseph K. Gaydos at jkgaydos@ucdavis.edu no later than 5:00 pm (PST) Friday, February 22, 2019.
Proposal Guidelines:
Please follow attached grant guidelines. Questions regarding project suitability should be directed to SeaDoc Society Science Director Joe Gaydos, 360-376-3910, jkgaydos@ucdavis.edu
Proposal Review:
The SeaDoc Society’s Science Advisors will judge proposals. The Science Advisors and the SeaDoc Society Board of Directors will select funded projects and announce awards in April 2019.