National Fish Habitat Partnership

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 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

December 17, 2019 – The bipartisan National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnership Act (H.R. 1747), introduced by U.S. Reps. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) and Marc Veasey (D-Texas), passed in the U.S. House of Representatives as part of a broader package of natural resource legislation last week. The bill also advanced through the Senate in the Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) today as part of the America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act (S. 3051.) The bill was introduced recently by U.S. Sen. John Barrasso (R- Wyo.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate EPW Committee, and Ranking Member Tom Carper (D-Del.). The National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnership Act would authorize funding for the National Fish Habitat Program and its 20 regional partnerships working across the country to conserve priority fish habitats and fish populations.  Codifying the program into law would secure consistent federal funding and establish a strategic framework for the restoration and conservation projects implemented through the program. The National Fish Habitat Partnership was created in 2006 and funds on-the-ground habitat restoration projects through public-private partnerships focused on conserving and maintaining healthy fisheries. To date, more than 800 successful conservation projects, including dam removals, streambank stabilizations, invasive aquatic plant removal, and other projects have been carried out across the country. “The NFHP has led to the successful restoration of fish habitat across the country. The locally driven partnerships have measurably improved the prospects for fish.  AFS has been involved with NFHP since its inception and enshrining it in law will give it the stability to ensure that funds will be directed to priority restoration projects,” said Doug Austen, Executive Director of the American Fisheries Society. With passage of the bill in the House, it is time to help ensure that the bill continues to advance in the Senate. Please take a moment to call or write your Senators in support of  the National Fish Habitat Partnership.

Recently, AFS joined the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Trout Unlimited, the American Sportfishing Association, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) in sponsoring a briefing for congressional staff on the accomplishments of the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) program. AFS member Doug Nygren, Fisheries Division Director of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and a director on the NFHP Executive Board, discussed the great work that’s been accomplished in the Kansas plains and reservoirs using volunteers and funds leveraged by partners. He highlighted the work of the Great Plains Fish Habitat Partnership to address the thousands of barriers to fish movement, which cause fragmentation and the isolation of rivers in many areas across the country. Five native species of concern that could have been listed under the Endangered Species Act are rebounding thanks to removal of perched culverts at stream crossings. He also noted the economic impact of the Reservoir Fish Habitat Partnership in providing improved recreational fishing opportunities. The National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnerships Act was introduced in both the House and the Senate (S.754) last week.  This legislation aims to codify the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP), whose mission it is to protect, restore, and enhance the nation’s fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation and improve the quality of life for the American people.  Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) and Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX) in the House, and Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) introduced these bipartisan bills on March 12, 2019. The National Fish Habitat Partnership is a voluntary, non-regulatory, fish habitat conservation program that has supported more than 840 projects benefiting fish habitat in all 50 states. The partnership works to conserve fish habitat nationwide, leveraging federal, state, tribal, and private funding resources to achieve the greatest impact on fish populations through priority conservation projects of 20 regionally-based Fish Habitat Partnerships. Take action today.  Call your Senators and Representatives and ask them to support the bill.

NATIONAL FISH HABITAT CONSERVATION THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS ACT INTRODUCED IN BOTH THE U.S. HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES & U.S. SENATE Washington D.C. (March 14, 2019)- The recreational fishing industry and conservation partners of the National Fish Habitat Partnership, applaud the sponsors of the National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnerships Act, as the bill was introduced in both the House and the Senate (S.754) this week. This legislation aims to codify the National Fish Habitat Partnership, whose mission is to protect, restore and enhance the nation’s fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation and improve the quality of life for the American people. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) and Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX) in the House, and Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) introduced these bipartisan bills on March 12, 2019. “We appreciate both the House and Senate sponsors of these bills that are critical to codify the National Fish Habitat Action Plan,” said Ed Schriever, Director of the Idaho Department of Fish & Game and Chair of the National Fish Habitat Board. “This legislation is critical to keep the National Fish Habitat Partnership, which was established in 2006, moving forward and will ensure that needed funding goes to support on-the-ground conservation projects of our partnerships across the U.S. “ The introduction of this legislation is the culmination of efforts of partners including, Trout Unlimited, the American Sportfishing Association, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies among others to sustain support for the conservation projects being implemented by our Fish Habitat Partnerships across the United States. The National Fish Habitat Partnership is a voluntary, non-regulatory, fish habitat conservation program. The National Fish Habitat Partnership has supported more than 840 projects benefiting fish habitat in all 50 states. The partnership works to conserve fish habitat nationwide; leveraging federal, state, tribal, and private funding resources to achieve the greatest impact on fish populations through priority conservation projects of 20 regionally-based Fish Habitat Partnerships. ### About the National Fish Habitat Partnership: Since 2006, the National Fish Habitat Partnership has supported over 840 projects benefiting fish habitat in all 50 states. The partnership works to conserve fish habitat nationwide; leveraging federal, state, tribal, and private funding resources to achieve the greatest impact on fish populations through priority conservation projects of 20 regionally-based Fish Habitat Partnerships. For more information visit: http://fishhabitat.org. Source: NFHP press release

The National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) is an 11-year-old effort to shift attention, effort, and limited resources to state, federal, and private sectors with interests in fish habitats. Their mission is to protect, restore, and enhance the nation’s fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation and improve the quality of life for American people. AFS has been at the table since the beginning, with Stan Moberly serving as AFS representative on the NFHP Board of Directors. AFS Executive Director Doug Austen was vice-chair of the NFHP Board while he directed the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and before he transitioned to AFS. Now the official AFS delegate has shifted from Doug to the president of the Fish Habitat Section; until August 2019 that role will be filled by Tom Lang, a fisheries supervisor at the Wichita Falls District Office of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. With that as background, AFS applauds the latest NFHP accomplishment—the December 20th release of additions to NFHP’s “Waters to Watch,” a list assembled with input from the 20 NFHP “regional fish habitat partnerships” working on the front lines to implement the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. As explained on the NFHP website, the annual “Waters to Watch” list is a collection of rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, and shores that will provide healthier fish habitat after some focused attention from one of the regional partnerships. The 10 new waters include a California ocean embayment, a Minnesota lake, an Arizona reservoir, and an Indiana river. Thanks to the combined actions of concerned community groups, non-profit organizations, local watershed groups, Native American tribes, and state and federal agencies, these special places are being improved by planting stream-side vegetation, improving passage, and protecting bodies of water from the effects of industrial processes, agriculture, and livestock. Collaborative efforts at the more than 100 waters identified since 2007 will yield local benefits plus lessons and practices to be deployed elsewhere. You can follow NFHP activities in your area by visiting the sites noted above, identifying your regional fish habitat partnership, and engaging in the very public process of protecting and restoring fish habitat.

In June, Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Ben Cardin, D-Md. introduced bipartisan legislation to authorize the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP). The National Fish Habitat Conservation Act, S. 1436, authorizes $7.2 million annually for fish habitat restoration and protection projects that are supported by regional Fish Habitat Partnerships and codifies the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. As our nation’s waterways have been dramatically altered, many populations of once abundant fish and other aquatic species now show drastic declines. Some commercial fisheries no longer exist and non-native species have had significant impacts on native species. To address these challenges, the state-led, public-private NFHP was formed in 2001. Through the efforts of 20 regional Fish Habitat Partnerships comprised of federal, state and local agencies, conservation and sportsmen’s organizations, private landowners, and the business sector have created over 680 successful conservation projects benefitting fish habitat and anglers throughout the country. AFS has had an active role in the NFHP throughout its history. AFS sits on the board of directors and AFS Executive Director Doug Austen served as vice-chair of the board when he led the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. AFS supports legislation that would formally put the NFHP into law with dedicated, sustainable funding and we encourage our membership to support this bill by calling or writing your Senators. The National Fish Habitat Conservation Act is supported by the American Sportfishing Association, The Conservation Fund, Trout Unlimited, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, and the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. Do you have a NFHP success story? Please share it with us! We would love to highlight your story in our efforts in support of the bill. Have you considered inviting your local congressman to see examples of the good work being done through the NFHP? August is a great time to visit with your members of Congress. Want to learn how to arrange a field visit? Get in touch with AFS policy staff to learn more!