Opportunity Information: Apply for M23AS00336
NT-23-01, titled "Addressing Key Information Gaps in Acoustic Ecology of North Atlantic Right Whales," is a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Environmental Studies Program (ESP) cooperative agreement focused on improving what is known about the acoustic behavior of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW). The opportunity is framed around the rapid expansion of offshore wind development on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and the need for stronger science to support mitigation requirements. BOEM emphasizes that better understanding of right whale vocal behavior is essential because passive acoustic monitoring is a key tool used to detect whales and reduce risk during offshore activities, and its effectiveness depends on accurate assumptions about when, how often, and under what circumstances whales produce detectable calls.
The core scientific goal is to close major information gaps in right whale call rates and vocal patterns by directly linking sound production to the whales' behavioral state. To do that, the project will use digital acoustic recording tags placed on individual whales to record vocalizations while also documenting what the whale is doing at the time. This tag-based approach is intended to connect specific vocalization features and patterns to real-world behaviors, rather than relying only on distant recorders that may capture calls without clear context.
A major part of the work is explicitly context-driven, recognizing that right whale acoustic behavior can vary depending on situation and social setting. The description highlights the importance of sampling different behavioral contexts, such as feeding versus migrating animals, and situations involving mother-calf pairs, because the probability of calling and the types of calls produced may change with activity, group composition, or other environmental and biological factors. By tying acoustic outputs to these contexts, the project aims to make passive acoustic monitoring interpretations more reliable for management and mitigation decisions.
The opportunity also acknowledges that right whale conservation and management already rely on extremely large acoustic datasets collected over many decades, with more data added each year. A stated need is to ensure that new findings from tagging and behavioral-context studies are considered alongside these long-term datasets, so that monitoring programs and mitigation frameworks are based on the best available understanding of whale calling behavior and its variability across time and conditions.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a Cooperative Agreement as the funding instrument, under CFDA 15.423, with BOEM as the agency. The opportunity number is M23AS00336, created on 2023-05-25, with an original closing date of 2023-06-26, and an award ceiling of $850,000. It is described as a single-source cooperative agreement with Duke University, meaning it is not a general open competition and is intended to be carried out with that specific institution. The expected outcome is a clearer, behavior-linked description of NARW acoustic activity in areas or situations where call-rate data are currently weak, along with improved guidance on the behavioral context in which those acoustic behaviors occur, ultimately supporting BOEM's mandate under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to monitor and minimize environmental impacts associated with OCS energy development.Apply for M23AS00336
- The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NT-23-01: Addressing Key Information Gaps in Acoustic Ecology of North Atlantic Right Whales" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.423.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-05-25.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-06-26. (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 $850,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is grant opportunity NT-23-01?
NT-23-01 is a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Environmental Studies Program (ESP) cooperative agreement titled "Addressing Key Information Gaps in Acoustic Ecology of North Atlantic Right Whales." It focuses on improving what is known about the acoustic (vocal) behavior of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW), especially in ways that strengthen how passive acoustic monitoring is used for management and mitigation.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The offering agency is the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), through its Environmental Studies Program (ESP).
What is the official opportunity number?
The opportunity number is M23AS00336.
What is the funding instrument for this award?
The funding instrument is a Cooperative Agreement, and the opportunity is described as discretionary funding.
What CFDA program is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.423.
Is this a competitive funding opportunity?
No. It is described as a single-source cooperative agreement with Duke University, meaning it is not a general open competition and is intended to be carried out with that specific institution.
Who is the intended recipient?
The opportunity is intended as a single-source cooperative agreement with Duke University.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $850,000.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on 2023-05-25.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was 2023-06-26.
Why is BOEM focusing on North Atlantic right whale acoustics now?
The opportunity is framed around the rapid expansion of offshore wind development on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and the need for stronger science to support mitigation requirements. BOEM highlights that understanding right whale vocal behavior is important because passive acoustic monitoring is a key tool used to detect whales and reduce risk during offshore activities.
What problem is BOEM trying to solve with this project?
The core scientific problem is major information gaps in right whale call rates and vocal patterns, particularly gaps that make it hard to interpret passive acoustic monitoring correctly. BOEM notes that the effectiveness of passive acoustic monitoring depends on accurate assumptions about when whales call, how often they call, and under what circumstances they produce detectable calls.
What is the main scientific goal of the project?
The main goal is to close key information gaps in right whale call rates and vocal patterns by directly linking sound production to the whale's behavioral state (what the whale is doing when it vocalizes).
How will the project link vocalizations to whale behavior?
The project will use digital acoustic recording tags placed on individual whales. These tags will record vocalizations while the team also documents the whale's behavior at the time, allowing vocalization features and patterns to be connected to real-world behaviors.
Why use acoustic recording tags instead of only distant acoustic recorders?
The tagging approach is intended to provide context: it connects recorded sounds to the tagged whale and to observed behavior. The opportunity description contrasts this with relying only on distant recorders, which may capture calls without clear context about which whale called or what behavior the whale was engaged in.
What is meant by "behavioral context" in this opportunity?
Behavioral context refers to the situation and social setting associated with sound production. The opportunity emphasizes that right whale acoustic behavior can vary depending on what the animal is doing and the conditions it is experiencing, so the project is designed to sample and analyze call patterns within specific contexts.
Which behavioral contexts are specifically highlighted for sampling?
The description highlights sampling different behavioral contexts such as feeding versus migrating animals, and situations involving mother-calf pairs. These contexts are called out because call probability and call types may change with activity, group composition, or other environmental and biological factors.
How does this work improve passive acoustic monitoring?
By tying acoustic outputs (call rates and call types) to well-defined behavioral contexts, the project aims to make passive acoustic monitoring interpretations more reliable. This matters because monitoring and mitigation decisions depend on knowing what it means when calls are detected (or not detected) under different real-world conditions.
Does the opportunity mention existing datasets, and how they will be used?
Yes. The opportunity notes that right whale conservation and management already rely on extremely large acoustic datasets collected over many decades, with more data added each year. A stated need is to ensure that new findings from tagging and behavioral-context studies are considered alongside these long-term datasets.
What kind of outcome is BOEM expecting from the project?
The expected outcome is a clearer, behavior-linked description of North Atlantic right whale acoustic activity in areas or situations where call-rate data are currently weak, along with improved guidance on the behavioral context in which those acoustic behaviors occur. The overall intent is to support BOEM's ability to make monitoring and mitigation frameworks more scientifically robust.
How does this project relate to offshore wind development?
The opportunity is motivated by the rapid expansion of offshore wind development on the Atlantic OCS. BOEM is seeking stronger science to support mitigation requirements, and passive acoustic monitoring is described as a key tool for detecting whales and reducing risk during offshore activities.
What is the management and legal mandate referenced in the opportunity?
The opportunity states that the work ultimately supports BOEM's mandate under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to monitor and minimize environmental impacts associated with OCS energy development.
What species is the focus of the study?
The focus is the North Atlantic right whale (NARW), described in the opportunity as critically endangered.
What specific knowledge gaps are mentioned?
The opportunity points to gaps in call rates and vocal patterns, and more specifically the lack of direct links between sound production and behavioral state. It also implies gaps in how calling varies across different contexts (activity, social setting, mother-calf presence, and other environmental/biological factors), especially in areas or situations where call-rate data are currently weak.
Why are call rates and vocal patterns important for mitigation?
Because passive acoustic monitoring depends on whales producing detectable calls. If call rates vary significantly by behavior or context, then detections (or non-detections) can be misinterpreted. The project is aimed at improving the assumptions used to interpret monitoring results so mitigation decisions are based on a more accurate understanding of whale calling behavior.
What makes this study "context-driven"?
It is designed around the idea that right whale vocal behavior is not constant. The work explicitly aims to sample and analyze multiple situations (for example, feeding vs migrating, and mother-calf contexts) so that acoustic patterns can be interpreted in relation to what the whales are doing and the social setting they are in.
Will this opportunity directly change BOEM mitigation requirements?
The information provided does not state that mitigation requirements will change directly. It does state that the project is intended to improve the science that supports mitigation requirements and to make monitoring and mitigation frameworks more reliable by improving understanding of calling behavior and context.
Where is the work geographically situated?
The opportunity is framed around the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), where offshore wind development is expanding and where BOEM has responsibilities related to environmental monitoring and impact minimization.
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