Division of Conservation Partnerships Home Page

The Division of Conservation Partnerships is an eight-person office that promotes working with the public through partnerships, outreach, and public information. The Division manages Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) support for the federally chartered Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council and for the non-profit Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF). The Division also assists in the development of national partnership agreements designed to further the Service's conservation mission. Additionally, through coordination of the National Outreach Team, it enhances communications techniques and improves methods of inreach and outreach.

Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council: The 18-member Council, formed in 1993, serves as the unique advisor to the Secretary of the Interior and the Director of the Service on recreational boating and fishing issues. Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Council is re-chartered every two years. Council membership includes the Service Director and the president of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, who both serve in ex officio positions. Other Council members are state fish and wildlife agency directors and individuals representing the interests of saltwater and freshwater recreational fishing, recreational boating, recreational fishing and boating industries, recreational fisheries resources conservation, aquatic resource outreach and education, and tourism. Recent Council activities include the development of a January 2002 report, A Partnership Agenda for Fisheries Conservation, which offers recommendations for guiding and strengthening the Service's Fisheries Program.

Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation: The Foundation is a tax-exempt corporation established in 1998 to carry out the National Outreach and Communications Program to increase participation in recreational boating and fishing (which have both experienced recent declines) and to encourage greater public involvement in aquatic stewardship as mandated in the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act of 1998. Federal funding for the Foundation totals $36 million over five years (1999-2003) from the Sport Fish Restoration Account under a cooperative agreement with the Service. The Foundation has a 25-member board of directors comprised of leaders from state and federal natural resource agencies; recreational boating, fishing and tourism industries; and national conservation organizations. Critical issues influencing boating, fishing, and stewardship participation are being addressed by four task forces organized by the Foundation.

National Outreach Coordinator: The Division supports the National Outreach Coordinator, who coordinates the National Outreach Team, composed of staff from all regions and programs. The Team enhances communications techniques and promotes and facilitates outreach by all Service employees and volunteers. The National Outreach Coordinator oversees the Customer Service Center, launched on July 1, 2003, to provide greater information service to the public. Through the 1-800-344-WILD phone number and an internet e-mail address, the public has enjoyed greatly improved access to the Service. The Center handles an average of 8,500 phone calls and 325 e-mails per month. The National Outreach Coordinator also produces the annually updated Employee Pocket Guide, providing programmatic Service information to all employees.

Partnerships: Partnerships are becoming the backbone of conservation efforts in the Service. With voluntary assistance from public and private entities, the Service is accomplishing greater achievements than it could alone. In its newly expanded capacity, the Division serves as the liaison with the Regions, Programs, and outside entities to develop new partnerships and assist current ones. It maintains a database of agreements and is developing a tool kit to aid in creating new partnerships. DCP works with the National Conservation Training Center to plan conservation forums designed to engage Service partners in strategic planning sessions leading to collaborative actions on behalf of conservation.

You will find much more information about the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation at its website www.rbff.org.

Other Sites:
            Department of the Interior
            US Fish and Wildlife Service
            Privacy Notice

For additional information regarding this web site, contact Virginia Takang at Virginia_Takang@fws.gov

This page is operated under the same guidance as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Home Page.  Keywords=recreational boating, recreational fishing, sport fishing, sportfishing, sport fishing and boating partnership council, u.s. fish and wildlife service, recreational, fishing, boating [last modified January 10, 2001].