Biological Monitoring and to Support the Development of Species Habitat Relationships in the Pearl River, LA.

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD TO A SINGLE SOURCE,AND THERE IS NO FULL ANNOUNCEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS NOTICE. Mortality of 26 Gulf sturgeon associated with discharge of industrial effluent in the Pearl River in 2011 led federal courts to designate funds specifically to quantify aquatic habitats and associated biological communities of the system. More detailed quantitative habitat products and information on the biological community will be needed to forecast impacts of proposed fish passage projects for the recovery of Gulf sturgeon, a species that has been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA; 7 U.S.C. § 136, 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.) since 1991. The Service is collecting subsurface physical habitat data to develop species/habitat relationships for the majority of the Pearl River Basin, but more effort is required to adequately address this need.