2017 National Fish Habitat Action Plan

The National Fish Habitat Action Plan is a national investment strategy to leverage federal and privately raised funds to protect, restore, and enhance the nation's fish and aquatic habitats through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation. Funds appropriated to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (Service) Fish and Aquatic Conservation (FAC) Program specifically to implement the Action Plan will be utilized in collaboration with the National Fish Habitat Board and Fish Habitat Partnerships. Fish Habitat Partnerships are the primary work units of the Action Plan, formed around distinct geographic areas, "keystone" fish species, or system types (e.g. large lakes, impoundments, estuaries). Funds will support national and regional science and coordination activities to protect, restore, or enhance fish habitats. All or a portion or project funds may be transferred to partner organizations if the Service lacks the capability to implement a project. Projects must protect, restore, or enhance fish and aquatic habitats or otherwise directly support habitat-related priorities of Fish Habitat Partnerships or the National Fish Habitat Board. Every project must be identified in the Fisheries Operational Needs System (FONS), a database that identifies the operational needs of FAC field stations, including fish habitat project needs. FAC field offices will work with Fish Habitat Partnerships to identify fish habitat projects, and enter them into the FONS. Entities that seek to propose a fish habitat conservation project for consideration should contact a local or regional office of the Service FAC Program.