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The Pacific Marine and Estuarine Fish Habitat Partnership (PMEP) requests proposals for projects that restore, enhance, or protect estuarine and nearshore marine fish habitat conservation and restoration along the West Coast. Restoration, acquisition, and assessment projects are eligible. PMEP will award an estimated $250,000-$350,000 in FY2025 for projects that advance its mission. In an effort to fund a diverse portfolio of projects, strong project proposals that request less than $100,000 are preferred. However, proposals of particular merit may be funded at a higher level, at PMEP’s discretion.

The project proposals are due by 5:00PM Friday, December 1, 2023. Project sponsors should assume that funding will be received in Summer of 2025.

Proposals must be submitted online through the Jotform platform.

For more information, access the full Request for Proposals and application instructions HERE

Flower Pot Creek is a tributary flowing directly into Tillamook Bay. It crosses Bayocean Road, directly before its confluence with Tillamook Bay, at an old, deteriorating, and undersized culvert. This culvert acts as a physical barrier to adequate tidal exchange and a velocity barrier to fish passage during certain flows. Replacing this undersized culvert with a properly sized bridge will increase tidal exchange in the wetland and eliminate a fish barrier. This wetland supports spawning and rearing for Oregon Coast ESU coho salmon, Chinook salmon and steelhead. The Flower Pot Creek Fish Passage and Tidal Reconnection Project, lead by Trout Unlimited, will improve connectivity to approximately 1.4 stream miles and 14.6 acres of tidally influenced wetland. We will replace an undersized, deteriorating culvert with a bridge and streambed simulation. This will correct a fish passage barrier and allow for natural tidal and steam functions to occur. This culvert is highly ranked on the Salmon SuperHwy priority list and the adjacent wetlands are ranked medium-high priority in the Tidal Wetlands Prioritization for Tillamook Bay.

The Smith River Alliance is leading this project, which will enhance a naturally occurring backwater feature on the south bank of the Smith River estuary, benefitting Southern Oregon and Northern Coastal California ESU Coho salmon, SONCC Chinook salmon, and Klamath Mountain Province Steelhead. The project will increase channel complexity along the mainstem Smith River and addresses impaired estuary function by increasing the quantity and quality of off-channel slow water rearing habitat and benefit up to 8,000 outmigrating Coho salmon smolts. Tidally influenced backwater habitat is extremely beneficial but rare in the Smith River estuary and this project will improve connectivity to this limited habitat. The project will enhance the hydrologic connection to 660 lineal feet of off-channel habitat, and increase the duration and range of flows that migrating and rearing juvenile Coho salmon can access the off-channel habitat feature by 94%. Two large wood structures containing 14 logs will be installed at the entrance and up to 13 single log structures will be installed throughout the backwater. The riparian area will be planted with native species including: 1,386 wetland plants, 114 herbaceous understory plants, 78 shrubs, and 120 trees. Livestock exclusion fencing will be installed along 1,800 feet to permanently exclude cattle from 51 acres of the Smith River estuary.