# Evaluation of Muskellunge Management and Stocking Strategies in Iowa

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/w81ewf-26-soi-0005-evaluation-of-muskellunge-management-and-stocking/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/362136

> Engineer Research and Development Center offered grants of up to $155,000 to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make one award worth $446,000 in total. Applications closed on June 29, 2026.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | W81EWF-26-SOI-0005 |
| Agency | Engineer Research and Development Center |
| Status | Forecast |
| Deadline | June 29, 2026 |
| Award ceiling | $155,000 |
| Award floor | not stated |
| Expected awards | 1 |
| Total funding | $446,000 |
| Cost sharing | not required |
| Assistance Listings | 12.630 |

## Who can apply

- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

This opportunity is restricted to non-federal partners of the Great Rivers Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU).

## What the grant funds

The primary purpose of this study is to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of Muskellunge stocking effectiveness and efficiency within Iowa's lakes and reservoirs, including those managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). This research directly addresses the USACE's interest in optimizing the management of recreational fisheries within their projects. By identifying and refining Muskellunge culture methods and stocking policies, this study aims to enhance the efficacy and efficiency of state agency stocking programs, ensuring that valuable resources are utilized to maximize angler success. The comprehensive understanding of Muskellunge survival, movement, and habitat use gained from this study will directly inform optimized stocking strategies, leading to more robust and sustainable Muskellunge populations. This, in turn, is anticipated to increase angler success rates and overall recreational satisfaction, thereby enhancing the economic and social benefits derived from recreational fishing on USACE reservoirs and similar water bodies across the state and potentially nationwide. The findings will directly inform the revision of Iowa’s Muskellunge Management Plan (Meerbeek, 2014), and, critically, will establish a transferable framework for improving stocking outcomes and increasing recreational fishing opportunities in USACE reservoirs and similar water bodies across the nation. Furthermore, this study will investigate the broader implications of its outcomes for the strategic adoption and advancement of Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). As conventional hatchery systems increasingly face challenges from extreme weather events, water shortages, aquatic invasive species, and growing demand for stocked fish due to habitat degradation (Hanson and Ostrand 2011), RAS offers a resilient solution. This research will demonstrate how RAS can enable state and Federal hatcheries, including those supporting USACE-managed waters, to meet production goals more efficiently and sustainably, thereby securing the future of recreational fisheries and enhancing the public benefits derived from USACE projects. Tasks to be Completed: Task 1: Population Dynamics. Prior to stocking, all Muskellunge intended for Iowa’s lake and reservoirs will be tagged with passive integrated transponder (PIT) Tags, and some will also receive acoustic or radio transmitters.

## Questions people ask

### Is W81EWF-26-SOI-0005 still open?

No. It closed on June 29, 2026.

### Who can apply for Evaluation of Muskellunge Management and Stocking Strategies in Iowa?

Engineer Research and Development Center accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

### What is the deadline for Evaluation of Muskellunge Management and Stocking Strategies in Iowa?

Closed June 29, 2026. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

### How much funding is available?

Awards of up to $155,000 each. About $446,000 in total for one award.

### Who has won Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Battelle Memorial Institute, Msi Stem Research & Development Consortium, University of California San Diego. The program made 1,101 awards worth $1.3 billion in that time.