The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is a U.S. federal government agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior which oversees the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats in the United States. The mission of the agency is "working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people."[1]
Among the responsibilities of the USFWS are enforcing federal wildlife laws; protecting endangered species; managing migratory birds; restoring nationally significant fisheries; conserving and restoring wildlife habitats, such as wetlands; helping foreign governments in international conservation efforts; and distributing money to fish and wildlife agencies of U.S. states through the Wildlife Sport Fish and Restoration Program.[10] The vast majority of fish and wildlife habitats are on state or private land not controlled by the United States government. Therefore, the USFWS works closely with private groups such as Partners in Flight and the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council to promote voluntary habitat conservation and restoration.
The Fish and Wildlife Service was created in 1940 through the combination of two previous bureaus within the Department of the Interior. Its current director is Martha Williams, who was appointed by U.S. President Joe Biden on March 8, 2022.
USFWS employs approximately 8,000 people[1] and is organized into a central administrative office in Falls Church, Virginia, eight regional offices, and nearly 700 field offices distributed throughout the United States.
^ abc"About the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service". fws.gov. United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
^R. Eliot Crafton (January 5, 2021). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: FY2021 Appropriations (Report). Congressional Research Service. p. 1. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
^"US Fish and Wildlife Service Moving to Bailey's Crossroads?". Falls Church, VA Patch. August 6, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
^"GSA Announces New Lease for US Fish and Wildlife Service". Archived from the original on November 30, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
^"Zinke taps Utah wildlife director to head US Fish and Wildlife Service". Spokesman.com. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
^[1] Archived November 11, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
^[2] Archived March 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
^USFWS - National Organizational Chart. Fws.gov. Retrieved on August 12, 2013.
^"Director Martha Williams". fws.gov. United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
^"About WSFR". US Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
and 24 Related for: United States Fish and Wildlife Service information
following is a list of directors of the UnitedStatesFishandWildlifeService: "Albert M. Day Retires from Federal Service" (PDF). FWS.gov (Press release)....
The UnitedStatesFishandWildlifeService Office of Law Enforcement contributes to Service efforts to manage ecosystems, save endangered species, conserve...
FishandWildlife Act of 1956 (ch. 1036, 70 Stat. 1119, 16 U.S.C. § 742a) of the UnitedStates of America establishes "a comprehensive national fish, shellfish...
Wildlife Refuges in the UnitedStates, with the addition of the Green River National Wildlife Refuge. Refuges that have boundaries in multiple states...
created FishandWildlifeService, under the UnitedStates Department of the Interior. By the 1860s, increasing human pressure on the fishand game resources...
Assistant Secretary for FishandWildlifeand Parks is appointed by the president of the UnitedStatesand confirmed by the UnitedStates Senate. The Assistant...
The UnitedStatesFishandWildlifeService deals with the enforcement of federal wildlife laws, protects endangered species and conservation and restoration...
As of November 1, 2009, the UnitedStatesFishandWildlifeService listed approximately 1,200 animals as endangered or threatened in North America. Note:...
the UnitedStates. Currently, none of the islands have any known permanent residents, although military personnel, U.S. FishandWildlifeService personnel...
2016 "Statistical Data Tables for Fish & WildlifeService Lands (as of 9/30/2017)" (PDF). U.S. Fish & WildlifeService. September 30, 2017. Archived from...
and if such treatment of the unlisted species would improve protection for the listed species. Endangered arthropods UnitedStatesFishandWildlife Service...
Metropolitan Wildlife Service Tasmania Parks andWildlifeServiceUnitedStatesFishandWildlifeServiceWildlifeServices This disambiguation page lists articles...
Management (BLM), UnitedStatesFishandWildlifeService (FWS), National Park Service (NPS), or UnitedStates Forest Service (USFS). BLM, FWS, and NPS are part...
in planning, development and maintenance of fishandwildlife resources on military reservations throughout the UnitedStates. The Sikes Act is "an act...
National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area of New Mexico managed by the UnitedStatesFishandWildlifeService as part of the National Wildlife Refuge...