 any
of America’s fish and other aquatic resources
are declining at alarming rates. Loss and alteration
of aquatic habitat is a primary reason for these declines.
Aquatic habitat is not only critical to the survival
of fish and aquatic species, it also provides many significant
benefits to human society. The US Fish and Wildlife Service Fisheries Program,
as the lead federal partner, has begun bringing together
States, tribes, partners and other stakeholders to develop
a National Fish Habitat Plan. The Plan will foster geographically-focused,
locally driven, and scientifically based partnerships
that will work together to protect, restore, and enhance
aquatic habitats and reverse the decline of fish and
aquatic species.
In its January, 2002 report,
“A Partnership Agenda for Fisheries Conservation,”
the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council recommended
that the Service initiate a partnership effort on the
scale of the highly effective North
American Waterfowl Management Plan. The Council
stated that the Service is “the federal agency
best positioned to work cooperatively in developing
the National Aquatic Habitat Plan in full partnership
with other agencies having statutory authority, including
the states and tribes.”
In the December, 2002
Fisheries Program Vision for the Future,
the Fisheries Program recognized aquatic habitat as
one of seven focus areas for the program, and made a
commitment to “work with Federal, State, Tribal
and other partners to explore the benefits of a National
Aquatic Habitat Plan and determine the appropriate FWS
role in its development and implementation.”
On September 13, 2003, the International
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, endorsed
the concept of and indicated they would “take
the lead in developing a comprehensive national fisheries
habitat plan/strategy and secure staff or funding for
staff to initiate the development of the plan in coordination
with other existing fisheries habitat planning actions.”
Director Steve Williams voiced his support for this
initiative, recognizing the importance of the Service
taking a leadership role in the development of a comprehensive
national fisheries habitat plan.
The development of a National Fish Habitat Plan also
supports Secretary
Gale Norton’s 4 C’s Initiative: Communication,
Consultation and Cooperation, all in the service
of Conservation. Secretary Norton strongly supports
strategic planning that makes use of regional and local
coalitions - consultation and cooperation between the
Service and its stakeholders - to create a plan with
strong public support.
Habitat conservation and restoration have been an increasing
focus of the Fisheries Program in recent years. The
successes of the
National Fish Passage Program, for example,
highlight the increasing amount of on-the-ground habitat
restoration being accomplished by the Fisheries Program.
To date, fish passage projects have been or will be
completed that remove 200 barriers, restore access to
2,936 river/stream miles and 60,182 acres of habitat.
The ultimate goal of the Initiative is to work closely
with partners and stakeholders to build a future that
ensures Healthy Fish, Healthy Habitats, Healthy Economies,
and Healthy People.
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A website by the USFWS and its partners for the
Initiative is now available online at: