Fisheries Program

National Park Service (NPS) fisheries management is rooted in the National Park Service Organic Act of 1916 which directs the Secretary of the Interior and the Service to manage national parks and monuments to "conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." The Organic Act is reaffirmed by the Redwood National Park Act, which directs the Secretary to ensure that the management and administration of the National Park System "not be exercised in derogation of the values and purposes for which these various areas have been established, except as may have been or shall be directly and specifically provided by the Congress." Consistent with these broad authorities, NPS fisheries management policies emphasize sustainability and the preservation and, when necessary, restoration, of natural assemblages of native aquatic species and their habitats.

The heritage of the National Park System includes recreational fishing as an activity through which visitors may experience and enjoy aquatic resources. Recreational fishing in NPS units is allowed where it is authorized by federal law or where it is not specifically prohibited and does not interfere with the functions of natural aquatic or riparian habitats. Angling opportunities exist in more than 170 NPS units that encompass diverse aquatic environments and fish communities, including numerous species of interest to fisherman. More than 50 NPS units provide fishing opportunities in freshwater, estuarine, and marine habitats.