Agency Overview

• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is an organization dedicated to conserving the natural resources of America. It is a government agency that directs the conservation of the habitats of fish, wildlife and plants. It is the only federally funded government agency that is in control of the management and conservation of the natural resources of the United States. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for the Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Marine Mammal Protection.
  
  

Mission Statement

• The U.S. Fisheries and Wildlife service is focused on conserving, protecting and enhancing habitats for fish, wildlife and other plants. The service's goals are to protect the National Wildlife Refuge System, landscape conservation, aquatic species and threatened and endangered animals. Conservation principles include land stewardship to protect natural resources for future generations, objective scientific methods and innovative partnerships with other wildlife associations. This includes providing protection for endangered species, creating and implementing federal acts and laws that protect habitats and wildlife, and educating the public about methods of habitat protection, different species and safe hunting practices.
  
  

Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program

• The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program provides funding to state and territorial fish and wildlife agencies to aid resource management. It is directly associated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The act enforces a user pay-user benefit tax mechanism that allows state fish and wildlife agencies to receive dedicated funding through an appropriation to manage resources of fish and wildlife. This means that state agencies are able to receive funding from individuals and organizations by imposing a fee. Those who are expected to pay a fee are partners in the industry who pay taxes on goods that are created for hunters, boaters and anglers. Boaters are also expected to pay a tax on fuel for motorboats.The program has six grants available, including the Clean Vessel Act grant and the State Wildlife grant. The Clean Vessel Act grant provides funding for the maintenance, construction and operation of waste reception sites and pump-out facilities that service recreational boaters. The State Wildlife Act grant funds programs that are focused on improving and protecting the habitats of wildlife, with special priority given to projects that are dealing with wildlife that are in trouble .
  
  

Fisheries and Habitat Conservation Program

• The Fisheries and Habitat Conservation Program helps to manage species and conserve their natural habitats by working with state agencies, Native American tribes, landowners and industries to provide a safe, healthy environment for the natural wildlife. The act manages habitats by assessing contamination in aquatic areas, studying population dynamics and developing digital maps that provide information about the status and trends of different wetlands. The program also manages fish culture, invasive species, wetlands and water management by helping private and public industries conserve habitats through the planning, development and construction of projects that supply water, energy and transportation. By 2008, the Costal Program, which is part of the Fisheries and Habitat Conservation program, helped to restore 187,275 costal wetlands and managed to protect 1.73 million acres of habitats along the coastlines of North America.