About the National Fish Habitat Action Plan

Download National Fish Habitat Action Plan (pdf).

For more information about the National Fish Habitat Action
Plan, visit www.fishhabitat.org

The National Fish Habitat Action Plan is an unprecedented attempt to address an unseen crisis for fish nationwide: loss and degradation of their watery homes.

The plan was born in 2001 when an ad hoc group supported by the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council explored the notion of developing a partnership effort for fish on the scale of what was done for waterfowl in the 1980s through the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. The waterfowl plan has worked wonders during the past two decades to boost waterfowl populations by forming strong local and regional partnerships to protect key habitats.

The need for a nationally focused fisheries conservation effort was validated by fisheries experts attending a series of regional meetings held by the Council - they were nearly unanimous in their support for the plan. In 2004 the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, which represents all state wildlife agencies, voted to lead the plan. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries are principal Federal partners.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is mounting a “More Fish” campaign to raise funds to support the effort. A National Fish Habitat Action Plan was approved by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) for implementation on March 24, 2006. A number of partnerships, including the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership, and the Western Trout Initiative have emerged as models of the kind of grassroots action envisioned in the action plan.

The plan has already been unbelievably successful in bringing together fisheries professionals and an unprecedented number of partners with a shared interest in protecting, restoring and enhancing our waterways and fisheries. The strength of this partnership – a unique blend of industry, government, tribal, academic, and conservation groups and individuals – is its diversity and its determination to focus national attention and resources on restoring fish habitats.

Add to the power of this conservation partnership by joining now!

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The National Fish Habitat Action Plan is:
• Non-regulatory and voluntary;
• Locally and regionally based, and driven by grassroots partners;
• Focused and targeted toward fisheries protection, restoration and enhancement in key watersheds;
• Based on a consolidation of the best scientific expertise on fisheries and habitat management;
• Linked nationally, to facilitate comprehensive coordination and evaluation of progress; and
• Sustainable and accountable, recognizing the need for long-term investments and demonstrable results.

The Plan will be implemented through the following four strategies:
Together, these approaches will lead to actions that are strategically employed and results that can be measured against protection, restoration and enhancement goals.
• Support existing fish habitat partnerships and foster new efforts.
• Mobilize and focus national and local support for achieving fish habitat conservation goals.
• Measure and communicate the status and needs of aquatic habitats.
• Provide national leadership and coordination to conserve fish habitats.

The Southeast Aquatic Habitat Plan

The Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership is one of five Pilot Fish Habitat Partnerships named by the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. As a regional Fish Habitat Partnership in the Southeastern US, SARP provides a method for state and federal agencies, conservation groups, tribes, landowners, industry, and the public to interact in the development of regional aquatic habitat priorities and the implementation of projects to address those priorities. The member and partners of SARP are developing a Southeast Aquatic Habitat Plan that will identify regional priorities for aquatic habitat conservation and restoration, and facilitate action at the local level that addresses regional and national priorities. The role of regional Fish Habitat Partnerships in the implementation of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan is illustrated in the diagram below:

The development of the Southeast Aquatic Habitat Plan is currently underway. Four pilot river basin conservation plans were initially developed to serve as models for the development of a complete regional plan.

Download The Pilot Study (pdf).
Download The Altamaha Watershed Report (pdf).
Download The Duck River Watershed Report (pdf).
Download The Roanoke River Watershed Report (pdf)
Download The Pascagoula River Conservation Action Plan (pdf)
Download Southeast Aquatic Habitat Plan (pdf)

A workshop was held in October 2006 to gain stakeholder input on the technical aspects of the Plan. Fifty-four people representing thirteen states natural resource agencies (both marine and freshwater in the coastal states), five federal agencies, the Atlantic and Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commissions, Southern Company, The Nature Conservancy, private consulting firms, and others attended the workshop. Another workshop is planned in April 2007 to develop the implementation and partnership aspects of the plan. A draft of the Plan will be ready and available for public review in the summer of 2007. Check our website frequently for updates regarding the development of the Southeast Aquatic Habitat Plan.