Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)
Geological Survey funding for a Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit partner to model non-native fish invasions and guide management protecting bull trout and freshwater habitats.
Funder: Geological Survey
Due Dates: November 14, 2026 (Applications, 11:59 p.m. ET)
Funding Amounts: $1–$360,000 per award; one anticipated two-year award; $360,000 total funding
Summary: Supports modeling of non-native fish invasion and management outcomes to protect native bull trout and Northwest freshwater streams.
Key Information: Applicants must be participating partners of the Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU).
Description
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) offers this cooperative agreement to develop a modeling tool predicting non-native fish invasion and its impacts across Northwest stream networks. The work focuses on protecting native bull trout and freshwater habitats from non-native fishes, including brook trout and smallmouth bass, alongside interacting environmental stressors such as warming water and fluctuating precipitation.
The project has three research objectives: predict invasion likelihood, co-produce a model of management outcomes under different invasion scenarios, and facilitate application of the co-produced results. Tools should help decision-makers evaluate and prioritize management actions under alternative future scenarios. The work supports species recovery and management planning at federal, state, and Tribal levels, science-based conservation, recreational fishing access, and the region’s cultural and economic interests.
