February 4, 2025
President Donald Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC
Dear President Trump:
The American Fisheries Society (AFS), the world’s oldest and largest fisheries science society in the world, seeks to improve the conservation and sustainability of fisheries and aquatic ecosystems by advancing science and promoting the development of fisheries professionals. Our 8,000 members from around the world include fisheries managers, biologists, professors, ecologists, aquaculturists, economists, engineers, geneticists, and social scientists spanning federal and state agencies, private industry, and non-governmental organizations. With five journals, a monthly magazine, in-house book publishing with over 200 titles, and the world’s largest fisheries science conferences, AFS is the leading source of fisheries science and management information. AFS supports and promotes the use of best-available science in policymaking and we value all people in the Society, as well as the fisheries profession at-large.
Our nation’s fish and wildlife are facing alarming declines. Up to one-third of U.S. fish species need immediate conservation action. Poor water quality, extended droughts causing lack of water in streams and rivers, cataclysmic flooding events, increases in water temperature, invasive species, and habitat degradation have imperiled forty percent of all freshwater species.
In the U.S., commercial and recreational fisheries support more than 1.74 million jobs and result in more than $244 billion in sales per year. The economic and environmental value of the ecosystem services provided by our nation’s aquatic resources is of utmost importance and must be safeguarded.
We write today to share our priorities for fisheries conservation and management, along with areas of focus for your consideration during your Administration.
Sportfish Restoration Re-Authorization
The Sportfish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund (SFRBTF) is the backbone of fisheries conservation in the U.S. Nearly $720 million is distributed annually to state fish and wildlife agencies for a wide variety of projects, including on-the-ground fisheries science and management, fish population assessment, habitat conservation and rehabilitation, fishing access projects, hatchery operations, aquatic education, and public outreach. Habitat conservation and rehabilitation funded through this program helps to safeguard clean water and ensure high quality outdoor recreation, benefitting fish populations and providing Americans with healthy activities out on the water.
The Sportfish Restoration Programs are funded primarily by the Federal Excise Tax (FET) collected from the sportfishing and boating industries under a “user-pays” model. Unfortunately, the current tax collection model has created a loophole that allows foreign manufacturers to sell sportfishing equipment directly to U.S. consumers via online marketplaces without paying the FET. This avoidance not only undermines a significant portion of current financial support of the American System of Conservation Funding but also gives foreign manufacturers an unfair advantage over domestic competitors. Estimates suggest that the annual loss in revenue due to this loophole exceeds $17 million, a figure that is almost certain to grow if left unaddressed.
The program is currently authorized through the end of Fiscal Year 2026. AFS supports a timely reauthorization of the SFRTF and efforts to close this tax loophole and ensure that all sportfishing equipment manufacturers, regardless of their location, contribute their fair share to supporting conservation efforts.
Investments in Aquatic Connectivity and Habitat Conservation
Throughout the U.S., fish habitat is fragmented by culverts, dams, and other water control structures blocking access to habitat and spawning grounds, leading to declining fish populations, Endangered Species Act listings, and lost recreational, subsistence, and commercial fishing opportunities. Freshwater fish, like brook trout and cutthroat trout, need access to upstream habitat to spawn, access food, and escape predators. Anadromous fish, like salmon and steelhead, migrate upstream as adults to spawn while juvenile fish must travel back downstream to the ocean to feed.
Restoring aquatic connectivity at the watershed-level creates thriving fish populations, builds resilience, and allows access to cooler habitats as streams warm. Fish passage restoration provides co-benefits for communities including reducing and mitigating flood damage, improving water quality, making road infrastructure more flood resilient, and providing recreational opportunities leading to thriving local economies.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was passed in 2021, providing nearly $2 billion for aquatic ecosystem restoration and fish passage funding to multiple federal agencies. This investment is helping improve the health of watersheds and the ways that federal, state, and Tribal partners collaborate. We appreciate the leadership of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in convening federal agencies and stakeholders to chart a path forward for the coordinated and efficient use this funding and we are pleased by the work of our federal partners to identify large-scale, transformational projects and coordinate funding and technical assistance to achieve significant advances in aquatic connectivity. Yet, much work remains with at least $5 billion in unmet aquatic connectivity needs across the country.
AFS supports additional federal investments in aquatic connectivity and fish passage in the next Surface Transportation bill and additional investments for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the Fish Passage Program, NOAA Fisheries Aquatic Ecosystem Connectivity work, and the U.S. Forest Service Legacy Roads and Trails program.
Proactive Conservation Funding for Imperiled Species
Twenty years ago, Congress recognized the need for proactive conservation for our nation’s fish and wildlife and created the State and Tribal Wildlife Grant Programs (STWG). The program funds on-the-ground conservation such as invasive species control, habitat management, species reintroduction, disease abatement, and research and monitoring that helps fish and wildlife biologists understand and assess declining populations of at-risk species before it’s too late.
States and tribes have identified 12,000 species of fish, wildlife, birds, and plants in need of conservation. Yet, the STWG program is only funded at a fraction of the need to adequately address the magnitude of the biodiversity crisis and prevent species from sliding towards extinction.
With dedicated and adequate funding, states and Tribes can implement science-based plans to conserve fish and wildlife populations before they become threatened or endangered, while helping to recover those that already are listed under the ESA.
AFS supports robust funding for the STWG program and urges passage of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, legislation that would provide dedicated, substantial funding for fish and wildlife professionals to proactively and cost-effectively conserve at-risk species. The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act represents an historic opportunity to simultaneously benefit wildlife, conservation, sportsmen and women, the economy and taxpayers.
Aquatic Invasive Species
The introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) is one of the foremost challenges facing the United States, altering natural ecosystems, reducing biodiversity, harming water quality, and degrading waterways—with significant impacts on human health and recreational, commercial, and subsistence uses of waterways, fisheries and other natural resources. From invasive fish like silver carp to invertebrates like zebra mussels and nuisance plants like hydrilla, the many challenges that AIS pose come with a steep price tag: an estimated global economic cost of $345 billion since 1960 – nearly half of which has been incurred in North America.
AFS supports updating federal law and policy that builds upon and modernizes the existing AIS framework to enhance prevention, reduce spread, and increase management. We support increased federal funding that is coordinated, strategic, and targeted across federal entities and in collaboration with states and Tribal organizations to provide effective tools to address AIS at the regional and watershed levels. We encourage efforts to enhance collaboration, communication, and planning for the prevention, detection, management, and eradication of AIS. In particular, we support funding for early detection and rapid response, the most effective tools for combatting and controlling the spread of AIS.
Climate change
Scientists are already observing significant changes to freshwater and marine species as a result of climate change. High-value fisheries already at risk will be further stressed by climate change as it accelerates and intensifies water pollution, species range reductions, species extinctions, and the spread of invasive species at the detriment of native species. Climate change is warming rivers, lakes, and streams and altering precipitation patterns throughout America, reducing habitat availability for fish, particularly for coldwater species such as trout which provide valuable recreational fisheries across much of the country. Climate change is also altering marine and coastal ecosystems with significant implications for the fishing industry and marine economies.
AFS supports urgent action to reduce emissions to avoid catastrophic impacts to commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries, human health, and global economies. Without continued action, there will be irreversible impacts to freshwater and marine ecosystems, fish, and fisheries and our drinking water, food supplies, and human health and well-being. AFS supports continued federal and cooperative research and monitoring of climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, which are vital to conserving and managing fisheries and aquatic resources in the face of rapid changes to ecosystems and habitats.
Expansion of Open Ocean Aquaculture in U.S. Federal Waters
Responsibly managed aquaculture, including open ocean aquaculture in U.S. federal waters, is a critical tool for increasing sustainable protein, reducing pressure on wild capture fisheries, and providing waterfront investment in coastal communities that will benefit the entire seafood sector. The demand for fish is expected to grow significantly in the next decade, but it is unlikely that wild capture fisheries can sustainably accommodate increased harvest pressure to meet this demand. Expanding domestic seafood supplies through aquaculture in the open ocean can address America’s ongoing dependence on imported seafood, improve seafood security, relieve local pressures on wild stocks, and boost investments in waterfront communities.
Significant advances in fish farming technology and use of best management practices in farming operations have decreased the environmental footprint of aquaculture.
AFS supports a clear, predictable, regulatory framework that will enable the growth of sustainable aquaculture, including open ocean aquaculture, in the U.S. Continued, consistent investments in research are needed to continue to improve sustainability and understand impacts on wild fish and endangered species.
Federal Clean Water Act Protections for Headwater Streams and Wetlands
More than a half century of scientific research demonstrates that the integrity of “traditionally navigable” waters fundamentally depends on tributaries—including headwater ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial streams—as well as many associated lakes, wetlands, and off-channel habitats. Aquatic ecosystems depend upon transfers of chemical components, organisms, sediment, and organic materials among waterbodies to support the life in and around their shores. Without the safeguards of the Clean Water Act for these streams and wetlands, the ability of these waters to convey nutrients, provide pathways for migrating organisms such as fish and wildlife, serve as a drainage and storage system for floodwaters, mitigate changing rainfall patterns, and supply clean water for cities is severely undermined.
The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on a significant Clean Water Act case, Sackett vs. EPA, dealt a crippling blow to the future of our nation’s fish and aquatic ecosystems. The very narrow test established by the court for determining when wetlands are “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act removes federal safeguards for the majority of wetlands in the United States. The decision flies in the face of sound science and will have a staggering impact on fish, fisheries, wildlife, aquatic ecosystems, and human health. This decision leaves more than 50% percent of wetlands in some watersheds without Clean Water Act protections.
This U.S. Supreme Court case opinion is at odds with the Clean Water Act’s singular objective: restoring and maintaining the water quality of the Nation’s waters. The Clean Water Act’s mandate can only be met if the science regarding wetlands and streams is used to determine which waters the Clean Water Act protects.
AFS has long supported a science-based definition of Waters of the U.S. and we urge you to consider the cascade of consequences from poorer water quality, increased flooding and pollution, lost fish and wildlife habitat, decreased drought resilience, and reduced carbon storage that will result from this decision.
Removal of the Snake River Dams
Idaho’s Snake River salmon and steelhead populations are currently hovering on the brink of extinction. The science is clear and compelling, supported by decades of rigorously peer-reviewed published reports and manuscripts: removing the four dams on the lower Snake River is essential to restore these critically at-risk populations of wild salmon and steelhead.
Increasing stream temperatures, which have been documented for years, will continue to worsen conditions for these and other coldwater species. Ensuring access to intact and high elevation habitat in the Snake River basin provides the best opportunity for broadscale population recovery and persistence in the face of environmental change. Time is of the essence.
AFS supports urgent action to breach the four dams on the Lower Snake River to prevent extinction and return Snake River salmon and steelhead to healthy and harvestable populations. We support replacement of the services that the dams provide to ensure that the stakeholders in the region are not negatively affected by dam removal.
Maintain and Increase Support for Farm Bill Conservation Programs
The Farm Bill’s Conservation Title is the federal government’s single largest investment in conservation, supporting incentives for farmers to conserve their lands, open private lands for access to hunters and anglers and restore fish and wildlife habitat.
The Farm Bill’s Conservation Title enables farmers to voluntarily enhance water quality and mitigate runoff and sedimentation through programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) pays landowners to put acreage into conservation, particularly on lands more valuable to fish and wildlife than they are agriculturally productive, incentivizing wetlands recovery, riparian buffer conservation and aquatic vegetation restoration. The Voluntary Public Access-Habitat Incentive Program, meanwhile, incentivizes landowners to open their lands to fishing and outdoor recreation, often on lands and waters conserved through other Conservation Title programs.
AFS supports Farm Bill conservation programs that benefit fish and aquatic habitat, expand public access, and improve water quality. In particular, we support maintaining Title II, the Conservation Title of the Farm Bill, restoring incentives and building appropriate management flexibility into CRP; funding the VPA-HIP at no less than $150 million, tripling the current level of support for this program; and maintaining an important requirement of EQIP that carves out at least 10 percent of program funding for wildlife habitat practices. Furthermore, we urge a strategic approach to crop insurance subsidies, providing cost savings by ending subsidized crop insurance in the five-year floodplain. These riparian areas are ecological strongholds, but are also where taxpayers have paid innumerable crop failure claims. Allow farmers to farm these areas if they so choose, but not with taxpayer subsidized crop insurance.
Science-Based Endangered Species Act (ESA)
The ESA is a powerful science-based tool for recovering America’s fish and wildlife. The law has been the catalyst for successful delisting or down listing of many endangered fish species, which took decades of planning and commitment by interdisciplinary public-private teams. Under the current structure of the ESA, nine species of fish have recovered sufficiently to be delisted. Delisting takes the investment of collaborative teams, resources, and most importantly, time for imperiled populations to recover once threats are reduced and habitat is restored.
Many ESA petitions and listings have identified the loss of useable habitat, access to habitat, and climate change in ecosystems as the reasons for the decline in species. We are concerned about proposed changes to the ESA that would undermine the scientific foundation of the law.
AFS supports a science-based ESA. We support a definition of habitat in the law that is broad and flexible enough to account for a wide variety of situations to ensure that the ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species depend are conserved. AFS supports science-based decisions regarding species recovery and delisting and the use of best-available science in guiding species management.
National Fish Habitat Partnership
The National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) continues to provide value to both commercial and recreational anglers, as well as local communities, by restoring, enhancing, and protecting fish habitat. Through 20 regional partnerships, NFHP fosters the conservation of fish habitats and enhances the quality of life for Americans. A key aspect of NFHP is increasing efficiency of all levels of government by coordinating fish habitat conservation activities of federal, state, and local agencies, as well as NGO’s and the private sector. This has delivered a greater than 3:1 return on every dollar invested and yields additional benefits such as improved water quality, flood mitigation, better fishing experiences, and additional recreational opportunities.
NFHP was officially enacted through the American Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act in October 2020 and reauthorized in December 2024. Unfortunately, NFHP has never received the amount of funding authorized in America’s Conservation Enhancement Act, which is $7.2 million. Additionally, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have not been appropriated the $400,000 each in technical assistance funding they are authorized to receive. AFS supports adding these funds to those agencies’ appropriations to provide them with the resources needed to fully engage with state agencies, local communities, and both commercial and recreational anglers in support of fish habitat conservation.
Federal Workforce Capacity
In closing, we applaud the Federal fisheries professionals who have worked tirelessly to address the myriad problems facing nation’s fisheries despite mounting workloads and insufficient staff. We urge you to maintain a federal science and natural resource workforce with sufficient capacity to conduct the critically important work of managing, researching, and conserving our nation’s fish and aquatic resources. These fisheries professionals are American heroes who are restoring fish habitat for trout streams, connecting rivers for migrating salmon, developing creative solutions to stop invasive fish from colonizing our Great Lakes, bringing back species such as Apache Trout from the brink of extinction, and more.
We stand ready to provide scientific expertise on these and other challenges facing our nation’s fisheries and advice on conservation solutions. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jeff Kopaska
Executive Director
