U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Conserving the
Nature of America
The mission of the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service is working
with others to conserve,
protect, and enhance
fish, wildlife, plants
and their habitats for
the continuing benefit
of the American people.
Banding
Brown Pelican
USFWS Photo by:
Karen Hollingsworth
A Conservation Legacy
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
is the only agency of the U.S.
Government whose primary
responsibility is fish, wildlife,
and plant conservation.
The Service helps protect a healthy
environment for people, fish and
wildlife, and helps Americans
conserve and enjoy the outdoors and
our living treasures. The Service’s
major responsibilities are for
migratory birds, endangered species,
certain marine mammals, and
freshwater and anadromous fish.
Over 125 Years of Service
The Service’s origins date back
to 1871, when Congress established
the U.S. Fish Commission to study
the decrease of the nation’s food fishes
and recommend ways to reverse the
decline. Meanwhile, in 1885, Congress
created an Office of Economic
Ornithology in the Department of
Agriculture. The office studied the
food habits and migratory patterns
of birds, especially those that had
an effect on agriculture. This office
gradually grew in responsibilities and
went through several name changes
until finally renamed the Bureau
of Biological Survey in 1905.
In addition to studying birds and
mammals, the Survey’s responsibilities
included managing the nation’s first
wildlife refuges, controlling predators,
enforcing wildlife laws, and conserving
Who We Are...
Brown Bear
USFWS Photo by:
Larry Aumiller
Mallard
USFWS Photo by:
Erwin & Peggy Bauer
dwindling populations of migratory
birds. The Bureaus of Fisheries and
Biological Survey were transferred to
the Department of the Interior in
1939. In 1940, they were combined and
named the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Further reorganization came in 1956
when the Fish and Wildlife Act created
the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service and established two bureaus,
Sport Fish and Wildlife and
Commercial Fisheries. In 1970, the
Bureau of Commercial Fisheries was
transferred to the Department of
Commerce and renamed the National
Marine Fisheries Service.
For many years the Service was the
principal federal wildlife and fisheries
research agency. In the 1940’s, Service
research biologists conducted some of
the first investigations into the effects
of the pesticide DDT in wildlife.
Service researchers also revealed the
life cycle of the parasite that causes
whirling disease in trout. In addition,
Service biologists developed many of
the captive breeding techniques that
have benefitted such rare species as
whooping cranes, California condors
and black-footed ferrets. The Service’s
research function briefly became an
independent agency and was
eventually reorganized as part of the
U.S. Geological Survey in 1996.
Notable former employees include
Jay N. “Ding” Darling, designer of the
first Federal Duck Stamp, and Rachel
Carson, author of Silent Spring.
Today, the Service employs
approximately 7,500 people at facilities
across the country including a
headquarters office in Washington,
D.C., seven regional offices, and
nearly 700 field units. Among these
are national wildlife refuges, national
fish hatcheries and management
assistance offices, law enforcement
and ecological services field stations.
Wood Duck
USFWS Photo by:
Maslowski Photo
Over 500 National Wildlife Refuges
The National Wildlife Refuge System
is the world’s largest and most diverse
collection of lands set aside specifically
for wildlife. The refuge system began
in 1903, when President Theodore
Roosevelt designated 3-acre Pelican
Island, a pelican and heron rookery
in Florida, as a bird sanctuary. Today,
more than 500 National Wildlife
Refuges have been established from the
Arctic Ocean to the South Pacific, from
Maine to the Caribbean. Varying in size
from half-acre parcels to thousands of
square miles, they encompass more
than 93 million acres of America’s best
wildlife habitats. The vast majority of
these lands are in Alaska, with the rest
spread across the United States and
several U.S. territories.
Migratory Bird Conservation
Because many bird species fly
thousands of miles in their annual
migrations, they cannot be effectively
conserved by any single state or
nation, but only through cooperative
efforts. The Fish and Wildlife Service
is responsible for migratory bird
conservation under several laws and
international treaties with Canada,
Mexico, Japan, and the former Soviet
Union. This includes the conservation
of more than 800 species of migratory
birds. The Service regulates
migratory bird hunting and studies
populations. It also monitors and
promotes the conservation of
songbirds and other nongame species.
Biological Expertise
The Fish and Wildlife Service provides
expert biological advice to other federal
agencies, states, industry, Native
American tribes and members of the
public concerning the conservation
of fish, wildlife, and plant habitat that
may be affected by development
activities. Working through field offices
located throughout the country, Service
personnel assess the potential effects
of projects that require federal funding
What We Do...
Okefenokee NWR
USFWS Photo by:
George Gentry
or permits, such as dredge and fill
activities, dams and reservoirs, oil
leasing, energy projects, and federal
highways. Service biologists
recommend ways to avoid, minimize,
or compensate for harmful impacts
on fish and wildlife resources. Service
personnel also assess the effects of
contaminants on fish and wildlife.
Fish Conservation and Restoration
One of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service’s most important duties is to
conserve populations of fish and other
aquatic species, and to protect and
restore the habitats these species
need. Service fisheries biologists,
operating from a nationwide network
of Fish and Wildlife Management
Assistance Offices, National Fish
Hatcheries, Fish Technology Centers,
and Fish Health Centers, have a
wealth of expertise in aquatic resource
conservation. Through its efforts, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service helps
safeguard fisheries worth billions
of dollars, rescues troubled aquatic
species on the brink of extinction,
and provides opportunities for anglers
and others to enjoy the outdoors.
Endangered Species Recovery
Another major function of the Fish
and Wildlife Service is the identification
and protection of endangered species.
About 1,200 domestic species are
currently on the federal list of
endangered and threatened species.
As part of their responsibilities,
Service biologists work with scientists
Newly Hatched
Salmon
USFWS Photo
Striped Bass
USFWS Photo by:
Ashton Graham
from other federal and state agencies,
universities, Native American tribes
and private organizations to develop
“recovery plans” that identify actions
needed to save listed species and restore
their numbers. Recovery programs may
include research, habitat preservation
and management, captive breeding, law
enforcement, reintroduction of depleted
species into suitable areas of their
historic range, and other activities.
Conserving Ecosystems
Through its “ecosystem approach”
adopted in 1994, the Service works to
achieve landscape-level conservation of
fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats
through coordination among all Service
programs and field stations, and
through partnerships with other
agencies, organizations and individuals.
The Service identified 53 ecosystem
units based on U.S. Geological Survey
watersheds and has established teams
to address important conservation
issues in each ecosystem.
Partnerships
The Partners for Fish and Wildlife
program works with private
landowners who want to restore fish
and wildlife habitat. Since 1987, the
Service has established nearly 20,000
cooperative agreements with private
land owners to restore habitat on
private land. So far, partners in the
program have restored more than
400,000 acres of wetlands, 300,000
acres of native prairie and grassland,
and 2,000 miles of stream-side
corridors. In recent years, the Service
has maintained a waiting list of
Mexican Wolf
USFWS Photo by:
Jim Clark
Co-op Farming
USFWS Photo by:
Karen Hollingsworth
approximately 2,000 landowners
nationwide interested in this cost-shared
program.
Working Around the World
The Service conserves fish and wildlife
worldwide under some 40 treaties,
statutes, and agreements. The Service
also cooperates with other countries on
wildlife research and management
programs, and responds to requests from
foreign countries for technical assistance.
The Service’s goal is to help cooperating
countries develop their conservation
capabilities in order to meet their own
environmental goals and needs on a
sustainable basis. Among the Service’s
international programs are graduate
education programs for fish and wildlife
managers in Latin America,
environmental education in the Near
East, Asia, Africa, and Latin America,
and special conservation efforts for tigers,
rhinoceroses, and African elephants.
The Service also works with other
countries to preserve their native
wildlife and plants through the
Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora (CITES). The United States
is one of more than 145 countries that
now belong to this international treaty
aimed at preventing overexploitation
of rare wildlife from commercial trade.
Law Enforcement
The Service’s Law Enforcement
operations support the entire range
of its wildlife conservation programs.
Monarch
on Common
Milkweed, Edwin
B. Forsythe NWR
USFWS Photo by:
Karen Hollingsworth
Illegal Wildlife
Products
USFWS Photo by:
Carl Zitzmann
Service special agents and wildlife
inspectors enforce wildlife laws and
treaty obligations. Special agents
investigate cases ranging from
individual migratory bird hunting
violations to large-scale poaching
and illegal trafficking in protected
wildlife. Working in cooperation with
U.S. Customs and Department of
Agriculture inspectors, Service
wildlife inspectors monitor wildlife
trade and stop illegal shipments
of protected plants and animals.
The Service operates the world’s
most comprehensive wildlife
forensics laboratory, where Service
experts analyze evidence to help
investigators solve wildlife crimes.
Helping Tribes, States and Citizens
In accordance with its 1994
Native American policy, the
Service maintains a government
to government relationship
and observes federal trust
responsibilities with the Indian
community. Through cooperative
agreements, memoranda of
understanding, and other
relationships, the Service works
with Native American tribes to help
conserve wolves and other species,
operate fish hatcheries, and
manage migratory birds. In all its
programs, the Service strives to
respect the cultural values of the
Checking
Hunting License
USFWS Photo by:
Tupper Blake
Fishing -
Help Our Kids
Catch a Dream
USFWS Photo by:
Carl Zitzmann
Indian community and recognize
the individuality and sovereignty
of each Indian nation.
Two additional laws administered
by the Fish and Wildlife Service —
the Federal Aid in Wildlife
Restoration Act and the Federal Aid
in Sport Fish Restoration Act —
provide federal grant money to
support specific projects carried out
by state fish and wildlife agencies.
The money comes from federal excise
taxes paid by hunters, anglers and
boaters on sporting arms and
ammunition, archery equipment,
sport fishing tackle, motorboat fuels
and import duties on fishing tackle
and pleasure boats.
States use the funds to acquire land
for wildlife habitat and for fishing
and other recreation; conduct research;
provide access to hunting, fishing, and
boating areas; manage and maintain
fish and wildlife habitats; and carry
out hunting safety training and
aquatic education.
Career Opportunities
Working for the Fish and Wildlife
Service is more than a career. It is
also a commitment—one shared by
more than 7,500 men and women
representing a wide range of
professions, trades, and specialties.
To accomplish its mission, the Service
employs many of the country’s best
biologists, wildlife managers, engineers,
realty specialists, law enforcement
Partnerships
Yield Greater
Benefits for All
USFWS Photo by:
Ryan Hagerty
Sandhill
Crane Colt
USFWS Photo by:
William Radke
agents, and others working to assure
that future generations of Americans
will be able to enjoy nature’s beauty
and bounty. For information on working
for the Service, contact the Regional
office nearest you.
Opportunities for the Public
Thousands of Americans volunteer with
the Service each year. Working side-by-side
with Service employees, volunteers
serve as tour guides and educators and
help with management activities such
as bird banding, habitat restoration,
wildlife population surveys, building
trails, and staffing visitor centers. Many
citizens also join “Friends” groups that
support national wildlife refuges in
their community. There are also many
opportunities for citizens to comment
on major Service actions and the
development of management plans for
Service facilities. To learn more, check
our web site or contact a Service office
near you.
Big Horned
Sheep
USFWS Photo by:
Karen Hollingsworth
Louisiana Black
Bear Research
USFWS Photo by:
Mark Chesna
Volunteer
on Refuge
USFWS Photo by:
Karen Hollingsworth
Northern Flicker
USFWS Photo by:
Denny Bingaman
Red Wolf Pups
USFWS Photo by:
George Gentry
Sandhill Cranes,
Bosque del Apache
USFWS Photo by:
Virginia Heitman
Laws We Carry Out
The Fish and Wildlife Service
administers and enforces a number
of conservation laws and treaties.
Among them are:
The Lacey Act, (1900) which
prohibits the interstate or
international shipment of illegally
taken wildlife.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, (1918)
which bans the take, possession,
purchase, sale, or barter of any
migratory bird, including feathers,
parts, nests, or eggs.
The Migratory Bird Hunting and
Conservation Stamp Act, (1934)
which requires all waterfowl hunters
age 16 and over to possess a Federal
Duck Stamp.
The Federal Aid in Wildlife
Restoration Act, (1937) which
provides Federal excise taxes on
hunting equipment to state fish and
wildlife agencies for restoration of
wild birds and animals; acquisition,
development and management of
wildlife habitats; hunter education
and development and management
of shooting ranges.
The Eagle Protection Act, (1940)
which prohibits the import, export,
take, sale, purchase, or barter of
bald and golden eagles.
The Federal Aid in Sport Fish
Restoration Act, (1950) which
provides federal excise taxes on
fishing and boating equipment to state
fish and wildlife agencies for sport fish
management, boating access, and
aquatic education projects.
The Endangered Species Act, (1973)
which provides for the listing,
protection and recovery of
endangered and threatened fish,
wildlife and plants.
Law Enforcement
USFWS Photo by:
Karen Hollingsworth
Environmental
Education
USFWS Photo by:
Karen Hollingsworth
Seized Cockatoos
USFWS Photo by:
Steve Hillebrand
Manatee
USFWS Photo by:
James Powell
The Marine Mammal Protection
Act, (1972) which establishes a
moratorium on the taking and
importing of marine mammals,
such as sea otter, walrus, polar
bear, dugong, and manatee.
The Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES), (1975)
which regulates the importation,
exportation, and re-exportation of
thousands of species protected under
its three appendices.
The Wild Bird Conservation Act,
(1992) which addresses problems
with the international trade in wild-caught
birds.
The National Wildlife Refuge System
Improvement Act, (1997) which
establishes wildlife conservation as the
fundamental mission of the refuge
system. The Act also recognizes
wildlife-dependent recreational uses
involving hunting, fishing, wildlife
observation and photography, and
environmental education and
interpretation as the priority public
uses of the Refuge System.
Conservation
is for Today
and the Future
USFWS Photo by:
Carl Zitzmann
Conserving the Nature of America
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
helps protect a healthy environment
for people, fish and wildlife, and
helps Americans conserve and enjoy
the outdoors.
Why We Do It...
Wildlife Observation
USFWS Photo by: Karen Hollingsworth
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
USFWS Photo by: Anja Burns
Canoeing on Refuge
USFWS Photo by: Ryan Hagerty
Pelicans at Sunset
USFWS Photo by: George Gentry
Waterfowl Hunting
USFWS Photo by: Mike Hemming
American Toad
USFWS Photo by:
Karen Hollingsworth
Bluebells
USFWS Photo by: Jim Clark
For More Information
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Headquarters
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 22040
202/208 5634
www.fws.gov
Pacific Region
911 NE 11th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97232 - 4181
503/231 6121
Southwest Region
500 Gold Avenue, SW Room 3018
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102
505/248 6911
Great Lakes - Big Rivers Region
Federal Building - 1 Federal Drive
Fort Snelling, Minnesota 55111- 4056
612/713 5360
Southeast Region
1875 Century Boulevard, Suite 410
Atlanta, Georgia 30345
404/679 7289
Northeast Region
300 Westgate Center Drive
Hadley, Massachusetts 01035 - 9589
413/253 8322
Mountain - Prairie Region
134 Union Boulevard
Lakewood, Colorado 80228
303/236 7905
Alaska Region
1011 East Tudor Road
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
907/786 3309
To reach any of the Regional Offices
go to: http://offices.fws.gov
CA, HI, ID, NV,
OR, WA, and
Pacific islands
AZ, NM, OK, TX
IL, IN, IA, MI,
MN, MO, OH, WI
AL, AR, FL, GA,
KY, LA, MS, NC,
SC, TN, PR, VI
CT, DE, DC, ME,
MD, MA, NH,
NJ, NY, PA, RI,
VT, VA, WV
CO, KS, MT, NE,
ND, SD, UT, WY
AK
Where We Are
Sandhill Crane
USFWS Photo by:
Tupper Blake
“Equal opportunity to participate and benefit from program and activities
of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is available to all individuals regardless
of age, race, religion, color, sex, national origin, sexual orientation or disability.
For information contact the U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Equal
Opportunity, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240.”
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20240
1 800/344 WILD
http://www.fws.gov
September 1999
USFWS Photo by: Dave Menke
