What We Do
Meeting Conservation Challenges
America’s aquatic ecosystems have historically sustained some of the most abundant and diverse communities of fish, invertebrates, and plants in the world. Many of these species, such as salmon, trout, Pacific lamprey, river herring, American shad, and striped bass are important cultural, economic, and recreational resources. However, aquatic species represent some of the most imperiled organisms both nationally and globally. Habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
Learn more about invasive species , and climate change climate change
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth's climate system and caused change on a global scale.
Learn more about climate change are some of the primary factors in the decline of native species.
Accomplishing Our Mission
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s mission is “working with others, to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.” To accomplish that mission, the Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program works to:
- Conserve Aquatic Species
- Conserve, Restore, and Enhance Aquatic Habitats
- Manage Aquatic Invasive Species
- Fulfill Tribal Trust and Subsistence Responsibilities
- Enhance Recreational Fishing and Other Public Uses of Aquatic Resources
- Educate and Engage the Public and our Partners to Advance our Conservation Mission
We manage a network of cutting-edge conservation offices across the country.
Our Programs
We focus our work on geographic areas and species with the greatest needs. Through biological inventories, assessments, modeling, and conservation strategies we worked with partners to better understand and alleviate threats to aquatic resources by propagating fish and other aquatic species to enhance wild populations, by strategically improving habitat, and restoring the connectivity of the Nation’s waterways, and preventing new infestations of aquatic invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
Learn more about invasive species .
