Climate change is a very real concern for all natural resource managers.  As global temperatures increase, sea ice melts, and sea level rises, species will face rapidly changing environments.  The Division of Fisheries and Habitat Conservation is already working to address climate change, specifically in terms of aquatic resources and habitat. 

• monitoring and assessing risk of fish populations and aquatic habitat
• coordinating climate change planning, recovery, restoration, and management activities
• preparing for climate change through its effort to restore aquatic habitat through barrier removal and active restoration of instream and wetland areas

• building and supporting partnership-based conservation for climate change initiatives
• building trust with partner groups to facilitate future management actions resulting from, or in anticipation of, climate change

• assessing coastal ecosystems to ensure that the proper ecosystem components, most notably sediment deposition, are in place to allow for adaptation to sea-level rise resulting from climate change
• preparing for restoration needs in the event of larger and more frequent coastal storms

• anticipating the spread and potential impacts of invasive and generally non-native species due to climate change
• Preventing the introduction and spread of invasive species, responding to new introductions, and controlling established invaders to ensure that native species will be able to adapt to climate change

• Detecting and tracking emerging fish health issues with the National Wild Fish Health Survey.
• Applying DNA technology at Fish Health Centers and Fish Technology Centers to determine disease origin and transmission patterns.