The American Fisheries Society stands strong in its support for the federal workforce. Federal fisheries professionals serve as the stewards of America’s natural resources. But the current termination of federal employees threatens the very foundation of fisheries and aquatic resources stewardship in this country. This stewardship is at risk, and with it the public trust resources citizens have enjoyed for generations. The continued layoffs and other attempts to reduce the workforce will erode the knowledge, skills and experience needed to manage our natural resources. This will have long-term devastating impacts on everyone who relies on public lands and waters for their livelihoods and well-being, as well as devastating an essential professional workforce for years, perhaps decades. The value this workforce brings to conservation, science, and stewarding our public trust resources cannot be overstated – all of which benefits every U.S. citizen.
We’ve begun compiling the resources and information for AFS members to help you as best we can through this challenging time, along with actions that anyone who supports our federal fisheries programs can take.
Share Your Story
Personal stories of the impacts from these jobs cuts are very helpful for our outreach to legislators and agencies. If you were terminated, not due to performance, but as a direct result of the Administration's efforts to reduce the federal workforce, please share your perspective using our online submission form.
Resources
Career Center: Visit our Career Center’s Job Board to see the latest opportunities from around North America. To assist those seeking new employment opportunities in our field, AFS is waiving the fee to list job openings in our Career Center for the next 3 months. Just use the code “AFS_Cares” when you log into your account at jobs.fisheries.org. If you help with your account or if you need to reset your password, contact [email protected].
Webinars: We’re launching a series of career and employment focused webinars – see below for a recording of the first in the series, “Employment Insecurity – Planning for Next Steps.”
Resources for Federal Employees:
- Partnership for Public Service – Resource page
- Partnership for Public Service – Webinars
- Civil Service Strong
- National Association of Forest Service Retirees Statement of Support and Resource Guide
- Resources for Federal Employees – from EPA Alumni Association
- Alden Law Group – includes “data call” for terminated employees and listserve signup for updates
- Union of Concerned Scientists’ Resources for Federal Employees
Communications: Those who have lost access to their email address can contact [email protected] to set up a new login for their AFS account. All members are now also able to add a secondary email address. To add a secondary email address, log into your AFS account. Under the “ADDRESSES” box, click on the “Secondary” tab. Click on the edit pencil to add your alternate email address.
Take Action
Email Your Senators and Representative
Go to Congress.gov.
Look to the right of the homepage, enter your Zip Code in the search bar for “Find Your Member” and hit “enter.”
This will pull up your Senators (2) and Representative (1).
Click on the links provided for each one. There will be a prominent link or button on your Member of Congress’ website to “Contact” them.
Click on the link to email your member of Congress. This will take you to a form where you will enter your personal information, as specified, and cut and paste the following message (you can customize to describe local impacts):
Message:
“I am writing with deep concern for our nation’s fish and wildlife as a result of mass termination of federal fish and wildlife professionals and the funding freeze of federal grants. The termination of fish and wildlife professionals working in federal agencies threatens the very foundation of natural resource management in this country and will have long-term devastating impacts on public lands and waters. The indiscriminate firing of fish and wildlife biologists, hatchery managers, foresters, climate change experts, university professors, park rangers, and naturalists is unprecedented, irresponsible, and places our nation’s fish and wildlife in peril. Further, freezing previously awarded federal grants impacts important research and ongoing fish and wildlife conservation work. We are especially concerned about the dismantling of the USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units that research real-world fish and wildlife management challenges in tandem with state fish and wildlife agencies and local universities. Americans who hunt and fish; visit and recreate in national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and other public lands; and benefit economically from the $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy will be negatively impacted by these actions. We urge you to support our nation’s fish and wildlife, stand up for these federal employees, and stand by our commitments to federal fish and wildlife research and conservation.”
Write an Op-Ed for Your Local Papers
Science Homecoming offers a quick way to find all of your local newspapers.
Record a Video
investNscience is collecting short video clips of scientists explaining their work so that people can put a face to our research and its impact.
Latest News

Webinar Recording: Employment Insecurity-Planning for the Next Steps
Presentations: Advice for Job Seekers in This Brave New World Craig Paukert, Missouri Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Unit, University of Missouri Getting your foot in the door: keys to quality application materials George Scholten, Iowa Department of Natural Resources Emerging skillsets for successful and effective contemporary state fisheries professionals Sara Thomas, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Natural Resource Professional Societies Issue Joint Statement on the Impacts of Federal Workforce Reduction
Amidst the continued terminations in the nation’s federal workforce, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) joined forces with the Society of American Foresters (SAF), Society for Range Management (SRM), and The Wildlife Society (TWS) to issue a statement in support of federal employees and their critical work for conservation. The Societies

Interior Secretary Urged to Maintain Support for Cooperative Research Units
February 17, 2025 The Honorable Doug Burgum, SecretaryDepartment of the Interior1849 C Street, NWWashington, DC 20240 RE: USGS Cooperative Wildlife Research Units Dear Secretary Burgum: I am writing on behalf of the National Cooperators’ Coalition (NCC), an alliance of nonfederal cooperators, supporters, and beneficiaries of the United States Geological Survey

Future of Public Trust Resources – Statement of the American Fisheries Society
The American Fisheries Society is the world’s oldest and largest professional society dedicated to fisheries and aquatic species and we represent thousands of professionals and students that have dedicated their careers – their lives – to researching, conserving, and educating about the incredible fisheries and aquatic resources found in North

AFS Highlights Fisheries Policy Priorities for the Trump Administration
February 4, 2025 President Donald TrumpThe White House1600 Pennsylvania AvenueWashington, 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
News Media Articles and Op-Eds
- Mainers speak out against federal cuts threatening jobs, healthcare and fisheries, Maine Beacon, 3/20/2025
- Ferrets, water testing and future scientists at risk due to DOGE spending cuts, NPR, 3/20/2025
- Bourne woman worked to keep fishing sustainable off Cape Cod. Cuts to NOAA hit her job., Cape Cod Times 3/19/2025
- Federal fisheries employees in Alaska have been reinstated, but most are not allowed to work, Alaska Public Media, 3/18/2025
- Fired NOAA Fisheries scientists worry about the future of marine conservation, Associated Press video,3/17/2025
- Trout Unlimited officials worry over potential impacts from reduced federal funding in Pa., GoErie.com, 3/10/2025
- Fired NM-based federal biologist: Cuts already hurting state conservation, Source NM, 3/10/2025
- Firings prompt concerns that science supporting Alaska seafood industry could be undermined, Alaska Beacon, 3/10/2025
- Honoring commitments and getting better seafood, Downeast Day Boat, 3/9/2025
- Opinion: Sea Grant funding whiplash a warning to us all, Portland Press Herald, 3/8/2025
- Federal layoffs come home to Oxford, The Star Democrat, 3/8/2025
- What the DOGE Is Happening?, The Wildlife Society, 3/7/2025
- An Interview With A Fired NOAA Budget Analyst, Defector, 3/7/2025
- Like so many other federal workers, I was unlawfully fired from my position at NOAA Fisheries last Thursday…., LinkedIn post, 3/6/2025
- Maine Sea Grant regains funding after industry, congressional pushback, Seafood Source, 3/6/2025
- Multiple researchers fired from La Crosse USGS science center, threatening work on invasive species and other Mississippi River issues, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/6/2025
- Trump purge raises extinction threat for endangered species, fired workers warn, The Guardian, 3/3/2025
- Fishery managers worry about effects of NOAA cuts, KMUN Public Radio, 3/1/2025
- Maine Sea Grant in jeopardy after Trump administration terminates $4.5 million grant program, Portland Press Herald, 2/28/2025
- Federal NOAA cuts hit Seattle offices, Seattle Times, 2/27/2025
- Top weather, climate agency NOAA the latest layoff target, Axios, 2/27/2025
- If you care about national parks and forests, tell Congress to stop Trump now, by Doug Austen in The Patriot-News, 2/25/2025
- Trump firings hit Great Lakes sea lamprey program, Michigan forestry workers, Bridge Michigan, 2/19/2025