The Fisheries and Habitat 

Conservation Program is unique 

within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service in its ability to apply a 

dual approach to natural resource 

management; it focuses on both 

helping manage species and helping 

to conserve their habitats. The 

Program relies on collaboration 

and joint ventures with State 

agencies, Tribes, private landowners, 

industry, other Federal agencies 

and the public to achieve these 

conservation goals. In doing so, 

the Program combines expertise 

in habitat restoration, contaminant 

assessment and remediation, 

genetics, population dynamics and 

management, fish culture and fish 

health, fish passage, invasive species 

management, wetlands, water 

development and management, 

instream flow and other disciplines. 

Fisheries and Habitat Conservation 

blends these capabilities to provide 

expert technical assistance to our 

conservation partners.

Under the leadership of the 

Assistant Director for the Fisheries 

and Habitat Conservation Program, 

several major Programs: Fisheries; 

Habitat Conservation; and 

Environmental Contaminants, share 

a common commitment to resource 

conservation. These programs work 

toward the common goal of healthy 

fish and wildlife, healthy habitat, 

healthy people, and a healthy 

economy.

Fisheries 

Program 

Since 1871, the Fisheries Program 

has played a vital role in conserving 

America’s fisheries, and today is 

a key partner with States, Tribes, 

other Federal agencies, and private 

interests in a larger effort to 

conserve imperiled fish and other 

aquatic populations for the benefit of 

the American people. 

More than 40 percent of North 

American fish 

species are currently 

in jeopardy and 

nearly 400 aquatic 

species have some 

protection afforded 

to them. Habitat loss, 

invasive species, and 

emerging issues such 

as viral hemorrhagic 

septicemia (VHS) 

and global climate 

change pose serious 

threats to America’s 

aquatic resources. 

The Service’s Fisheries Program 

provides a suite of tools to address 

these threats: nationwide scope, 

state-of-the-art science, a wide 

array of aquatic programs, and close 

collaboration with partners and 

stakeholders. 

The Fisheries Program includes the 

National Fish Hatchery System, 

Fish and Wildlife Conservation 

Offices, the Aquatic Invasive Species 

program, and the Marine Mammals 

program. We provide a network 

unique in its broad geographic 

coverage, diversity of capabilities, 

and ability to cross political and 

program boundaries to address 

national perspectives and emerging 

issues. 

The responsibilities of the program 

include monitoring national 

aquatic populations and habitats, 

stocking genetically-appropriate 

aquatic species, restoring aquatic 

habitats, executing restoration 

and recovery strategies (regional 

and national), providing refugia 

for imperiled species, mitigating 

fisheries lost from Federal water 

projects, controlling invasive species, 

providing technical assistance 

to the Tribes, co-management of 

coastal migratory and diadromous 

species, and providing educational 

opportunities. 

Fisheries & Habitat 

Conservation

Program Overview

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

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wetlands conservation; National 

Wetlands Inventory – Develops and 

distributes digital map data and 

scientific reports identifying wetland 

habitats and their status and trends; 

and Sikes Act – Works with the 

Department of Defense and states to 

develop integrated natural resource 

management plans to maximize 

conservation of 30 million acres of 

habitat, including wetlands, on the 

Nation’s military lands.

HC Facts and Figures

•	 $101 million for Resource 

Management (FY 2008) 

•	 580 FTEs in 81 Ecological 

Services Field Offices nationwide	

 

•	 Partners for Fish and Wildlife, 

with over 3,000 partnering

organizations to restore or enhance 

900,000 acres of wetlands, 2.4

million acres of uplands, and 7,300

miles of stream and riparian habitat	

•	 The Coastal Program has restored 

187,275 acres of coastal wetlands,

64,170 acres of coastal uplands,

1,607 miles of coastal streamside

habitat, and protected 1.73 million

acres of coastal habitat

Environmental 

Contaminants The Service’s Environmental 

Contaminants (EC) Program 

includes Contaminant Biologists 

stationed at more than 75 locations 

around the country. These scientists 

are on the front lines in the fight 

against habitat degradation from 

environmental pollution. They are 

experts in detecting and addressing 

toxic chemicals and their effects in 

the environment; preventing harm 

to fish, wildlife, and their habitats; 

and removing toxic chemicals and 

restoring habitats when prevention 

is not possible. 

Areas of responsibility include 

restoration activities for habitats 

harmed by pollution, evaluating 

water quality, responding to oil 

and chemical spills, working with 

the Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) to evaluate pesticide 

effects on fish and wildlife during 

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The Marine Mammals program 

coordinates implementation of 

the Marine Mammal Protection 

Act (MMPA). The Service is 

responsible for the conservation 

and management of polar bears, 

sea otters, walrus, manatees, 

and dugongs. The MMPA 

requires that marine mammals 

be maintained at, or returned 

to, their optimum sustainable 

populations. Management of marine 

mammals requires coordination 

among a variety of interests, 

including Federal and State 

agencies, commercial industries, 

Native Alaskans, and international 

governments. 

Fisheries Facts and Figures

•	 $126.5 million within Resource 

Management (FY 2008)

•	 Over $1.3 billion in assets – 75 

percent are mission-critical 

water management assets 

•	 152 Field Offices and 813 FTE’s 

nationwide

•	 Responsible for more than 2,060 

aquatic populations (476 for 

recreational fishing)

Habitat 

Conservation

 

The Habitat Conservation Program 

provides leadership, technical 

expertise and financial assistance 

in landscape-level conservation 

and restoration of habitat for fish 

and wildlife. Through providing 

assistance early in project 

planning, the Service safeguards 

public and environmental health 

in the protection of landscapes 

and watersheds for future 

generations. The primary Habitat 

Conservation programs, most of 

which are legislatively mandated, 

are: Conservation Planning 

Assistance – Helps public and 

private entities conserve fish, 

wildlife, and habitat during 

the planning and development 

of energy, transportation, and 

water-supply projects; Coastal 

Barrier Resources – Conserves 

aquatic habitat on hurricane-prone 

coastal barrier islands through the 

prohibition of Federal expenditures 

that encourage building in harm’s 

way; Partners for Fish and 

Wildlife – Restores and improves 

habitat on private, tribal, and local 

government lands via voluntary, 

incentive-based partnerships. To 

date, the program has supported 

the conservation efforts of more 

than 41,000 private landowners; 

Coastal Program – Collaborates 

with partners to provide financial 

and technical assistance for the 

restoration and conservation of 

coastal habitat; National Coastal 

Wetlands Conservation Grants – 

Provides grants to states for coastal 
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pesticide registrations, 

and conducting 

investigations into 

contaminant impacts to 

fish and wildlife.

EC Facts and Figures

•	 EC budget of 

$12.0 million 

with Resource 

Management (FY 

2008)

•	 160 FTEs in 81 

Ecological Services 

Field Offices 

nationwide

•	 22,251 wetland 

acres restored and 

9,276 wetland acres 

enhanced through 

the Natural 

Resource Damage 

Assessment 

and Restoration 

Program 

Laws the Program 

Administers

Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act 

of 1956, as amended, (16 U.S.C. 

661-667e; the Act of March 10, 1934; 

Ch. 55; 48 Stat. 401). Autorizes the 

Secretary to take such steps as may 

be required for the management, 

conservation, and protection of fish 

and wildlife resources including 

research, development of facilities 

and acquisition of land and water.

Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act 

(16 U.S.C..3771). Authorizes the 

Secretary of the Interior to provide 

technical and financial assistance 

to private landowners to restore, 

enhance, and manage private land 

to improve fish and wildlife habitats 

through the Partners for Fish and 

Wildlife Program. 

Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-

58).. Addresses development, study 

and incentives for renewable energy 

sources such as hydropower as well 

as oil and gas. It provides authority 

for Service involvement in the 

federal hydropower licesing process, 

including fishway prescriptions.

Coastal Barrier Resources Act 

(CBRA), Public Law 97-348 (96 

Stat. 1653; 16 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). 

Designated various undeveloped 

coastal barrier islands, depicted 

by specific maps, for inclusion in 

the Coastal Barrier Resources 

System (System). Designaed areas 

were made ineligible for direct or 

indirect Federal financial assistance 

that might support development, 

including flood insurance, except for 

emergency life-saving activities. The 

Act assigns various mapping and 

study requirements to the Secretary 

of the Interior, which are delegated 

to the Service.

Marine Mammal Protection Act 

of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1361-1407, P.L. 

92-522, October 21, 1972, 86 Stat. 

1027) as amended. Established a 

Federal responsibility to conserve 

marine mammals with management 

vested in the Department of 

Interior for sea otter, walrus, 

polar bear, dugong, and manatee. 

The Department of Commerce 

is responsible for cetaceans and 

pinnipeds, other than the walrus.

Comprehensive Environmental 

Response, Compensation and 

Liability Act (Superfund) (26 U.S.C. 

4611-4682; P.L. 96-510, December 

11, 1980; 94 Stat. 2797), as amended. 

The Department of the Interior is 

a trustee for natural resources, and 

the Service is responsible for the 

protection and restoration of trust 

resources injured by uncontrolled 

releases of hazardous materials. The 

Service is responsible for conducting 

assessments to establish injury to 

trust resources through the damage 

assessment process. 

Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 

U.S.C. 2701 et seq.; 104 Stat. 484). 

Established new requirements and 

extensively amended the Federal 

Water Pollution Control Act (33 

U.S.C. 1301 et. seq.) to provide 

enhanced capabilities for oil spill 

response and natural resource 

damage assessment by the Service. 

Conservation Challenges, Successes, 

and Emerging Issues

•	 Renewable energy development,

particularly wind and hydrokinetic

energy, and minimizing

environmental impacts

from energy production and

infrastructure development

•	 Addressing new forms of aquatic

pathogens and diseases, both in

the wild and in captive fishery

operations

•	 Implementing the National 

Fish Habitat Action Plan, 

coordinating locally-driven 

efforts that build private and 

public partnerships to improve 

fish habitat

•	 Removing artificial barriers 

to fish migration through the 

National Fish Passage Program. 

•	 Enhancing the agency’s capacity 

for using wetlands mapping, 

monitoring and science for 

decision-making 

•	 Restoration of StormDamaged Coastal Habitats 

– As hurricanes grow in size 

and magnitude, the impacts to 

coastal habitats are becoming 

more common and severe

•	 Contaminants of Emerging 

Concern (i.e., endocrine 

disrupting compounds and 

nanomaterials)

•	 SMARxTTM Disposal – A 

national public awareness 

and partnership campaign 

promoting responsible 

consumer medication disposal 

while helping to protect our 

environment
•	 Aquatic invasive species – 

Prevention, early detection, 

rapid response, and control 

and management are key 

components of the National 

Invasive Species Management 

Plan

•	 Coastal Barrier Resources 

Map Modernization - Congress 

has directed the Service to 

modernize the CBRS maps 

using digital technology

•	 Implementation of 2008 Farm 

Bill – Working to assist USDA in 

establishing state and national 

priorities, scoring criteria, focus 

areas, or special initiatives 

that will be most effective in 

achieving priority fish and 

wildlife conservation objectives 

Gary Frazer, Assistant Director

Fisheries and Habitat Conservation

http://www.fws.gov/fisheries/

November 2008

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