A tribal biologist and Service employee Dan Kumlin stock lake sturgeon . - FWS photo

The Federal Government, and particularly the Fish and Wildlife Service are committed to helping and supporting Native American Tribes as they exercise sovereignty in managing their fish and wildlife resources. 

Through many treaty agreements and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, the Service has unique obligations to provide Tribal Trust Responsibilities to the tribes as they manage their resources.  

There are also more than 55 million acres of reservation and trust lands in the nation, containing some of the critical habitat of many Threatened and Endangered fish and wildlife species.  The Genoa National Fish Hatchery, in cooperation with biologists from the Service's fisheries management offices and tribal wildlife offices, work together to provide fish of various species to support scientifically based fishery management objectives. 

These fishery management plans all come to fruition in the spring and fall of every year, when fish reach stocking size and are released for restoring native fish populations, or increasing recreational opportunities.  

This spring, for example, coaster brook trout and lake sturgeon, both native species of concern for the tribes and the FWS, and rainbow trout, a highly valued recreational species reared at the Genoa (WI) facility were released at 6 mid-western Reservation locations. 

A total of 21,745 fish weighing 7,100 pounds were released to support 2 restoration programs and 5 recreational fishing programs.  Through judicious management and continued cooperation, the Service and its tribal partners hope to continue to further efforts to conserve, protect and enhance our nation’s fish and wildlife resources not only for the current generation, but for generations to come.