BPA Fish and Wildlife FY 1997 Proposal

Section 1. Administrative
Section 2. Narrative
Section 3. Budget

see CBFWA and BPA funding recommendations

Section 1. Administrative

Title of project
Fish.net Policy Access Network With NW Fishletter

BPA project number   9601500

Business name of agency, institution or organization requesting funding
Energy Newsdata

Sponsor type   WA-Consultant

Proposal contact person or principal investigator

BPA technical contact   Marcella Lafayette, EWP 503/230-3781

Biological opinion ID   N/A

NWPPC Program number   

Short description
A Fish.NET web page project on Internet which gathers and organizes policy and scientific information and publishes NW Fishletter periodical with news supported by hyperlinked documents.

Project start year   1995    End year   1997

Start of operation and/or maintenance   1997

Project development phase   Maintenance

Section 2. Narrative

Related projects
N/A

Project history
Fish.NET is a demonstration project developing a page on the World Wide Web of Internet. This page hosts a Web Detector section which lists and describes useful regional fish & wildlife information available on the Internet. The page also hosts NW Fishletter, a periodical with summary policy/scientific news stories containing hyperlinks to documents which provide details of the story subject. The demonstration runs from September 1995 through May 1996 and is being funded by BPA ($24,600); the Montana office of the Power Council ($20,000); the Idaho office ($10,000); the National Marine Fisheries Service ($2,500); the DSIs ($9,000) and the Mid-Columbia PUDs (14,000).

Biological results achieved
N/A

Annual reports and technical papers
Three issues of NW Fishletter and an offprint of Web Detector are attached.

Management implications
It is assumed that this project could enhance adaptive program management and related processes by providing a common frame of policy and scientific information over time. Timely identification of and access to documents would be enhanced.

Specific measureable objectives
N/A

Testable hypothesis
N/A

Underlying assumptions or critical constraints
N/A

Methods
N/A

Brief schedule of activities
The demonstration phase of the project will determine major project tasks for FY 1997 to the extent they differ from activities described above. These may include more intelligent (annotated and summarized) scientific and technical databases from key regional information sources, including peer-reviewed studies and reports. If it cannot be accomplished sooner, the project will enhance coverage of ESA status of key listed species in recovery and of petitioned species; and of fish & wildlife litigation.

Biological need
N/A

Critical uncertainties
N/A

Summary of expected outcome
It is expected that the project will make fish and wildlife policy development at the regional level more intelligible to those concerned because the NW Fishletter periodical will report news in a sustained, comprehensive and objective manner. No such service is now available. The project can also provide a medium for policy players to present information to a general peer group in an effective and economical way—-to become a recognized and reliable information channel that in energy parlance is used and useful.

Dependencies/opportunities for cooperation
N/A

Risks
N/A

Monitoring activity
Early in calendar 1997, the project will conduct an e-mail questionnaire survey to determine reaction to the project. A metering plan will be prepared for council staff comment and approval in November, 1996.

Section 3. Budget

* For most projects, Authorized is the amount recommended by CBFWA and the Council. Planned is amount currently allocated. Contracted is the amount obligated to date of printout.

Funding recommendations

CBFWA funding review group   System Policy

Recommendation    Tier 3 - do not fund

BPA 1997 authorized budget (approved start-of-year budget)   $63,000