For more information:

http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/fish__wildlife_

and/fish.html

National Fisheries Program Lead

Tom Mendenhall

(202) 912-7238

tmendenh@blm.gov

SUBSISTENCE FISHERIES

Subsistence 

fishing is a 

traditional way 

of life in rural 

Alaska and a 

central focus of 

Alaskan Native 

culture. Fish 

make up more 

than sixty 

percent of the 

subsistence 

harvest 

statewide. The BLM has a key responsibility to manage 

land that provides important habitat for subsistence 

fisheries. The BLM-Alaska Fisheries Program has 

developed projects to provide information on the 

status of fish stocks and often partners with the Alaska 

Department of Fish and Game and other agencies.

FISHING and YOUTH 

INITIATIVES

The BLM is a strong supporter of 

National Fishing and Boating Week, 

with more than 8,000 students 

and their families participating 

in 25 events sponsored nationwide by the BLM. During the 

celebration and throughout 

the year, the BLM provides 

students with environmental 

education and stewardship 

opportunities, teaching 

students a respect for 

the environment, while 

learning about safe 

recreational opportunities 

on BLM-managed lands.

INVASIVES

Invasive species, including fish, amphibians, plants, 

and invertebrates, threaten native fish communities by 

potentially transforming entire food webs. For example, 

American bullfrogs were illegally introduced into the 

Yellowstone River in Montana approximately 10 years 

ago. They are voracious predators, threatening the 

vitality of native species. The BLM has partnered with 

the Montana Natural Heritage Program and Montana 

Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to stop bullfrogs from taking 

over the Yellowstone River. Partnership goals include 

inventory, documentation, and monitoring of 

bullfrog distribution 

and eradication of 

this species from 

the Yellowstone 

River ecosystem.

BLM/OC/GI-11/001+6500

P-464
enhancing the water 

quality and habitats of the 

lower Truckee River and 

Pyramid Lake. Benefits 

include flood management, 

improved habitat for specialstatus species, biological 

productivity and diversity, 

restoration of native plant 

communities, and recreation 

opportunities. Fish surveys 

have already reported increased fish populations in 

the restored stream segments, and these projects are 

integral to restoring Lahontan cutthroat trout and cuiui, both listed under the Endangered Species Act.

MONITORING

A fisheries monitoring 

plan for the National 

Petroleum Reserve in 

Alaska was developed 

to inventory, assess, 

and monitor fish and 

fish habitat among 

oil and gas activities. 

Primary fish habitat 

concerns include water 

source lakes, ice road 

stream crossings, and water quality.

The National Aquatic Monitoring Center (NAMC), a 

cooperative venture between Utah State University and 

the BLM, processes aquatic invertebrate samples for 

the BLM and other entities. The NAMC works to 

create scientifically sound watershed monitoring 

programs on public lands. 

FISH PASSAGE 

IMPROVEMENT

As part of the BLM’s efforts 

to improve fish habitat, the 

Fisheries Program addresses 

fish passage problems that 

occur at stream culverts 

associated with the 

78,000 miles of roads 

on BLM-managed 

lands. The Bureau also 

works to eliminate 

passage problems 

at water diversions, 

channel head cuts, 

and low-water stream 

crossings.

SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES

In Colorado, BLM biologists are investigating new 

habitat uses of Colorado pikeminnow, a federally 

endangered fish that was once abundant and widespread in the Colorado River Basin. In Utah, biologists 

are monitoring the White River, which provides 

unique, high-quality 

habitat for two federally 

listed and three sensitive 

desert river fish species.

OVERVIEW

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 

more than 245 million surface acres, which includes 

more than 117,000 miles of fish-bearing streams and 

more than 3 million acres of lakes and reservoirs. These 

bodies of water have a wide variety of diversity, from 

isolated desert springs harboring populations of rare 

and unique fish to large Columbia and Yukon River 

tributaries that provide habitat for steelhead trout and 

salmon as they migrate long distances to breed. This 

brochure shows examples of some BLM projects.

PARTNERSHIPS

The BLM Fisheries 

Program depends 

on a multitude 

of conservation 

partnerships, from 

the grassroots to 

the national level. 

The BLM is a partner 

in the National Fish 

Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP) and a member of its 

Federal Caucus. The NFHAP is an umbrella, cooperative 

conservation effort to focus resources on fish habitats 

nationwide. Through the NFHAP, the BLM works with 

10 regional fish partnership organizations across the 

United States. The BLM also participates on the Aquatic 

Nuisance Species Task Force and its Western Regional 

Panel and sits on the Federal Fish Passage Steering 

Committee.

HABITAT CONSERVATION and 

RESTORATION

River and floodplain restoration projects at the BLM’s 

102 Ranch and Mustang Ranch sites in Nevada are