Lobster Recruitment and Harvest Fisheries Data Collection

Lobster Recruitment and Harvest Fisheries Data Collection

Objective

The Lobster Recruitment and Harvest Fisheries Data Collection program trains participating fishermen in the spring and fall lobster fisheries along the Atlantic Coast of Nova Scotia, in the collection of data on lobster recruitment (LR), life history, commercial catch rates and associated bottom water temperature. The program is executed in Lobster Fishing Areas 27 -35 and provides data to support the estimation of primary fishing pressure indicators and secondary recruit abundance indicators in the stock assessments for Maritimes Lobster fisheries.

Background, Assumptions and Specific Scope of the Requirement

The lobster recruitment data has been collected since approximately the mid-1990s in LFAs 27-
35. The project requires a strong relationship between the contracted organization and fish harvesters in order to coordinate a sufficient number of licensed commercial lobster fishermen throughout the geographic range of the program.

Tasks and Activities

The contractor will identify, train and coordinate with participating fishermen through the spring and fall fisheries. The contractor will provide the necessary tools for data collection, enter and execute quality checks on data entry. Data will be submitted to DFO through a database and the contractor will provide updates throughout the project. Data collected for this project will include Protected B information, including information involving license holders’ names, license numbers, and catch rate data.

Lobster recruitment and temperature data will be entered and edited by the contractor to provide:

- Updates and QA/QC an Oracle database of daily catch and effort for lobster caught in standardized traps ordered by life-history stage and size (Lobster Recruitment portion) in LFA 27-35;
- individual analyses for each participant providing details on the catch, effort and number of lobsters by life-history stage and size; and
- inshore bottom water temperatures associated with lobster catches by position and depth to be submitted in the appropriate format (format to be determined).

Contractor’s Deliverables

The following must be accomplished annually (for the initial contract period and each exercised option year):
- Apply for and be granted a DFO Scientific sampling license for all participants in the LR project;
- Recruit, coordinate and train approximately 140 licensed commercial lobster fishermen throughout LFAs 27-35 to follow procedures (as outlined in Appendix 1.1) to gather information about undersize lobsters in their lobster fishing area during the commercial lobster fishing season;
- Provide the required number of standardized traps (up to five traps per vessel) and measuring gauges and temperature recorders (as described in Appendix 1.3) to participating fishermen;
- Provide trained personnel to maintain contact with fishermen to ensure that the protocols for the project are being followed. This will at times require the trained individual to conduct at-sea monitoring of activities;
- Monitor the daily catch records completed by fishermen to ensure that their completion is consistent with the work description (see Appendix 1.3);
- Complete annual review of the performance of participants and conduct periodic violation/sanction checks, as well as review new applications; and
- Track recruitment trap tags issued to fishermen and provide updates to DFO fishery officers, licensing, management and the Project Authority;

Security Requirement:
Before access to sensitive information is provided to the Bidder, the following conditions must be met:

(a) the Bidder's proposed individuals requiring access to sensitive information, assets or sensitive work sites must meet the security requirements as indicated in Part 6 - Resulting Contract Clauses.

(b) the Bidder’s security capabilities must be met as indicated in Part 6 - Resulting Contract Clauses;

For additional information on security requirements, Bidders should refer to the Contract Security Program of Public Works and Government Services Canada (http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/esc- src/introduction-eng.html) website.

Period of Contract:
The period of contract shall be from date of award to March 31, 2025.

Trade Agreements:
The requirement is subject to the World Trade Organization-Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP), Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA), Canada - Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA), Canada - European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).

Contract Authority:
Name: Jackie Longmire
Phone Number: 506- 238-5870
Email Address: DFOtenders-soumissionsMPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca / cc: Jackie.Longmire@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Inquiries:
Inquiries regarding this RFP requirement must be submitted to the Contracting Authority named above. BIDDERS ARE ADVISED THAT “BUYANDSELL.GC.CA” IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS. The Crown retains the right to negotiate with any supplier on any procurement. Documents may be submitted in either official language.