Project Leader Tracy Hill and Fishery Biologist Jeff Finley traveled to La Crosse, Wisconsin, to attend the 3rd International Conference on Rivers and Civilization.   

The conference, hosted by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, was the first international multidisciplinary conference on large river basins to be held in North America. 

The Region 3 Fisheries Program was well represented at the conference with participation from Columbia FRO, La Crosse FRO, and Genoa NFH. 

The conference also provided a great opportunity for the Fish and Wildlife Service to highlight riverine fishery  activities that the offices are involved with on the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. 

Presentations highlighted Fisheries work with recovering endangered fish and mussel species; controlling aquatic nuisance species; managing interjurisdictional fisheries; improving the quality and connectivity of aquatic habitats; and detecting disease pathogens that threaten aquatic animal health. 

Attendance at the conference also provides Regional Fisheries staff the opportunity to learn about challenges facing major river basins around the globe and strategies that are needed to reverse the continued decline of these rivers and diverse societies they support.