PROVIDE CONTROLLED TESTING OF GEAR CHANGES TO REDUCE TURTLE ENTANGLEMENT IN LONGLINE FISHERIES WITH HIGH TURTLE ENTANGLEMENT RATES. THE NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE (NMFS) IN HONOLULU, HAWAII REQUIRES TESTS TO DETERMINE ALTERNATE FISHING METHODS THAT MAY REDUCE INCIDENTAL TURTLE HOOKING AND ENTANGLEMENT. NMFS IS SEEKING OFFERORS TO CONDUCT A CONTROLLED COMPARISON BETWEEN STANDARD FISHING GEAR (THE CONTROL) AND ALTERNATIVE FISHING GEAR (THE TREATMEENT) THAT IS HYPOTHESIZED TO REDUCE SEA TURTLE ENTANGLEMENT IN LONGLINE FISHING GEAR. EXAMPLES THAT COULD BE PROPOSED INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, 1) AN OFFER TO TEST MONOFILAMENT GEAR VERSUS STANDARD MULTI-STRAND CORDAGE GEAR CURRENTLY IN USE; 2) AN OFFER TO TEST AN INVERTED CONFIGURATION OF LONGLINE GEAR; OR 3) AN OFFER TO TEST A TURTLE AGGREGATION DEVICE THAT COULD KEEP TURTLES DISTRACTED FROM NEARBY FISHING OPERATIONS. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE IS ONE YEAR FROM DATE OF AWARD, WITH UP TO ONE OPTION YEAR. REQUEST SOLICITATION IN WRITING. THIS IS A SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION WITH AN ESTIMATED VALUE OF LESS THAN $100,000.

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