The
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a responsibility to conserve, restore,
enhance, and manage the Nation's fishery resources and aquatic ecosystems
for the benefit of future generations. Federal stewardship of the Nation's
fishery resources has been a core responsibility of the Service for
over 120 years.
Fisheries and
aquatic resources are of particular importance in our region as we are
surrounded by the Great Lakes and Big Rivers. We are bordered to the
north by Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie; and the big rivers
of the Upper Mississippi, Lower Missouri, and the Ohio Rivers to the
south. Fish and aquatic resources are valuable in our region. In 2001,
9.6 million people went fishing and spent more than $7.8 million on
fishing-related equipment and activities in the region. We also have
a number of valuable endangered fish and mussel species that are unique
to our area.
Not only do
we have a number of aquatic assets, but we also have a number of growing
threats to those assets. The threats of invasive aquatic nuisance species
and aquatic habitat alteration and loss weigh heavily on our aquatic
resources. Partnerships with federal, state, tribal, and local management
agencies help combat threats and preserve our natural aquatic resources.
These activites also increase recreational opportunities within the
region.
The Fisheries Program in Region
3 is comprised of six National
Fish Hatcheries, six Fishery
Resources Offices, two Biological
Stations, two Coordination Offices,
and one Fish Health Center.
All offices are managed out of the Regional
Fisheries Office in Fort Snelling, Minnesota. We are proud to say
that one of our hatcheries, Neosho National Fish Hatchery in Neosho,
Missouri, is the oldest operating National Fish Hatchery in the U.S.
It was established in 1888 and continues to serve. Take
a look back to fisheries in the past through Windows
in Time - old photos from activities in our Region.
We work with
a number of native species, endangered fish, endangered
mussels, and aquatic nuisance species in Region 3.
We are also
involved with a number of programs and partnerships in each of the 8
states within Region 3 (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin).
In 2002, the
Fisheries Program worked with partners to establish a Vision
for the Fisheries Program to Conserve the Fisheries of America.
We accomplish this vision by addressing each of the following key elements:
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Partnerships
and Accountability - strengthening our partnerships with
federal, state, local, and international management and conservation
agencies, conservation groups, and educational organizations.
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Aquatic
Species Conservation and Management - conservating aquatic
species through recovery programs for threatened and endangered
fish and mussel species, maintenace of fish health, restoration
of native interjurisdictional species, and managment of aquatic
nuisance species.
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Public
Use - providing for recreational fishing and public use
of aquatic resources.