The Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance program consists of fish and wildlife management professionals in seven Regional offices and 64 field offices, located in 33 states. These field offices – e.g. Fishery Resources Offices, Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance Offices, Fish and Wildlife Offices, Coordination Offices, Marine Mammals Management Office – staff about 300 professional fishery biologists and other experts.

Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance Offices

The Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance program fills a vital role in restoring and maintaining the health of the Nation’s fish and wildlife resources. The program functions like a general practitioner in the medical field: its biologists monitor the health of fish and wildlife resources, diagnose ailments, prescribe remedies, refer specific problems to specialists, and coordinate diverse efforts to restore and maintain health. The program helps avoid listing actions under the Endangered Species Act – or in other words, keeps the patient out of the intensive care unit. The American people benefit from healthier ecosystems and resulting increases in fishing and other recreational opportunities.

• Native Fish Conservation- Restoring imperiled fish and aquatic species – i.e. those that are in serious decline or listed under the Endangered Species Act – by planning, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating activities such as habitat restoration and captive propagation.

• Native American Tribal Assistance- Fulfilling trust responsibilities to Native American tribal governments through technical assistance in fish and wildlife management on reservations and in ceded territories.

• Federal Lands Assistance -Assisting Federal land managers (e.g. Department of Defense) in fish and wildlife management on Federal lands and assisting National Wildlife Refuges in planning, managing, and restoring fisheries and aquatic resources on refuge lands.

• Marine Mammal Management -Managing and conserving polar bears, walruses, and sea otters, and supporting efforts to conserve manatees under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

• Fish Passage Program - Restoring fish passage in streams that have been obstructed by dams or other structures.

• Interjurisdictional Fisheries Assistance - Providing technical and coordination services to regional, interstate, and international fishery commissions and other organizations for Service trust species.

• Alaska Subsistence Fisheries Management - Managing subsistence fishing in Alaska.

• Outreach and Other Duties - Informing the American public about fish and wildlife management and about activities of the Fish and Wildlife Service, and conducting other duties assigned by law or regulation.

The strength of the Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance program is in our people – a cadre of fish and wildlife management experts across the Nation – and our partnerships – working relationships with States, Tribes, regional organizations, and the private sector. The program is unique in its ability to work across borders of states, Indian reservations, and even nations. Our work is generally non-regulatory, noncontroversial, and conducted in partnership with others. Cooperators across the Nation within and outside the Service look to the Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance program to meet their needs for monitoring, coordinating, and implementing fish and wildlife management and restoration plans. Our accomplishments benefit the Nation’s fish and wildlife resources, the ecosystems on which they depend, and the American people who use and enjoy fish and wildlife.

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