Lynker is seeking to hire a Fisheries Biologist/ESA Consultation Specialist. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is responsible for implementing the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation Act (MSA).
Through programs conducted under each of these statutes, NMFS seeks to protect and preserve our nation's living marine resources through scientific research, fisheries management, enforcement, and habitat conservation.
NMFS branches within the Oregon-Washington Coastal Office respond to a high volume of requests to consult from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other Federal agencies and then must document each consultation in a timely manner, including NMFS evaluation of the proposed action, a summary of the information on which the evaluation is based, and a detailed discussion of the effects of the action on the species or habitat of concern.
The objective of this task order is to obtain the services of the contractor to provide contractor support to conduct interagency consultations under ESA section 7(a)(2), MMPA section 101(a)(5)(D), and MSA section 104-297, including document preparation activities in the North Puget Sound.
Task & Deliverables:
Conduct ESA, MMPA, and MSA program consultation and document preparation activities in the North Puget Sound. Coordinate daily with their supervisor on assignments and work products.
Task A
- Respond to inquiries from action agencies, applicants, and their representatives, provide pre-consultation technical assistance to action agencies, applicants, or their representatives during regular business hours. Examples of technical assistance likely to be provided include:
- Initial contact with consulting agency, applicant, or non-federal representative,
- Explanation of consultation process and information requirements, if necessary,
- Preparation or review of species lists,
- Recommendation of conservation measures to minimize adverse effects to listed species,
- Feedback on draft documents submitted by action agencies,
- Engineering review of designs, and
- Site visits to potential project areas.
- Provide technical assistance, documentary review, and site visits with and for action agencies, applicants, and their representatives.
Task B
- Review consultation initiation packages for accuracy and completeness and develop requests for further information sufficient to support initiating consultation, as needed.
- Provide feedback in the form of further information requests or confirmation of consultation initiation.
Task C
- Consult with action agencies and their representatives or applicants as required to ensure action agency compliance with each statute, as needed. Communicate with Government manager to coordinate NMFS response to each consultation.
- Prepare appropriate consultation documentation including, but not limited to, ESA letters of concurrence, ESA biological opinions, MSA essential fish habitat consultations, programmatic responses, and MMPA incidental harassment authorization letters.
Task D
- Prepare appropriate documentation for each consultation and follow West Coast Region protocol for quality assurance
Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university with a major in biological sciences, engineering, or natural resource management, and an emphasis in fisheries, oceanography, social science, natural science, mathematics, or hydrology, plus five (5) years of experience in a related field or combination of such totaling nine (9) years combined education/experience. Master’s Degree in related field plus one (1) year experience or Ph.D. may be substituted for experience.
