BOEM FY 2019 Alaska Coastal Marine Institute

and extraction on the outer continental shelf (OCS); modeling studies of environmental, social, economic, or cultural processes related to OCS oil and gas activities in order to improve scientific predictive capabilities; experimental scientific studies for better understanding of environmental processes, or the causes and effects of OCS activities; projects which design or establish mechanisms or protocols for sharing data or information regarding marine or coastal resources, or human activities to support prudent management of oil, gas and marine mineral resources; and synthesis studies of scientific environmental or socioeconomic information relevant to the OCS oil and gas program. The most relevant geographic areas are potential OCS oil and gas lease areas off Alaska, including the Beaufort Sea, the Chukchi Sea, Cook Inlet, and the northern Gulf of Alaska. Following the submission of letters of intent (LOI) from the University of Alaska, the BOEM, in discussion with representatives from the State of Alaska, have selected the LOI topics listed below for development of full proposals. This request is not a guarantee of funding. Proposals that do not target these selected research areas will not be considered: (1) CMI Administration 2019-2023, (2) Western Beaufort and Chukchi Sea surface current analysis, (3) Evaluating novel assessment approaches for coastal ice seal haulout areas and behavior in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea, (4) Tracking fish and marine mammal responses to Arctic change: a community-based biological observing program in Arctic Alaska, (5) Kelp Restoration in the Boulder Patch, (6) Changing relationships among climate variables and cumulative climate stress on the Gulf of Alaska ecosystem, (7) Utilization of the under-ice habitat by Arctic Cod in the western Arctic Ocean: a multidisciplinary collaborative study, (8) Investigating marine movement and behavior of steelhead trout in and near OCS oil and gas lease areas.