United States Fish and Wildlife Service

"FWS" redirects here. For the federal student-aid program, see Federal Work-Study Program. For the Fighter Weapons Schools, see United States Air Force Weapons School and United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program.

Fish and Wildlife Service
Official logo
Agency overview
Formed	June 30, 1940 (1940-06-30)
Preceding agencies	Bureau of Biological Survey Bureau of Fisheries
Jurisdiction	Federal government of the United States
Headquarters	Washington, DC
Employees	7,960 (2006)
Annual budget	$2.32 billion (FY08)
Agency executive	Daniel M. Ashe, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Parent agency	U.S. Department of the Interior
Website
www.fws.gov
Footnotes
[1][2][3]

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency reads as "working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people."

The leader of FWS is the director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. On Monday, December 6, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Daniel M. Ashe, of Maryland, to the U.S. Senate to be the new Director, succeeding Samuel D. Hamilton.^{[citation needed]}

Units within the FWS include:

• National Wildlife Refuge System (548 National Wildlife Refuges and 66 National Fish Hatcheries)
• Division of Migratory Bird Management
• Federal Duck Stamp
• National Fish Hatchery System
• Endangered Species program
• United States Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement
  • Clark R. Bavin National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory

History

The Fish and Wildlife Service originated in 1871 as the United States Commission on Fish and Fisheries, created by Congress with the purpose of studying and recommending solutions to a noted decline in the stocks of food fish. Spencer Fullerton Baird was appointed its first commissioner.

In 1885, the Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy was established in the United States Department of Agriculture, which in 1896 became the Division of Biological Survey. Its early work focused on the effect of birds in controlling agricultural pests and mapping the geographical distribution of plants and animals in the United States. Jay Norwood Darling was appointed Chief of the new Bureau of Biological Survey in 1934; the same year Congress passed the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (FWCA), one of the oldest federal environmental review statutes. Under Darling's guidance, the Bureau began an ongoing legacy of protecting vital natural habitat throughout the country. The Fish and Wildlife Service was finally created in 1940, when the Bureaus of Fisheries and Biological Survey were combined after being moved to the Department of the Interior.

Today, the Service consists of a central administrative office with eight regional offices and nearly 700 field offices distributed throughout the United States.

Pursuant to the eagle feather law, Title 50, Part 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations (50 CFR 22), and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service administers the National Eagle Repository and the permit system for Native American religious use of eagle feathers.

The Service governs two National Monuments, Hanford Reach National Monument in Washington state and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, a huge maritime area northwest of Hawaii (jointly with NOAA).

See also

• Federal law enforcement in the United States

Related governmental agencies

• National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement
• National Park Service
• Partners for Fish and Wildlife
• United States Coast Guard

Regulatory matters

• Coastal Barrier Resources Act
• Endangered Species Act
• Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act
• Lacey Act
• Listing priority number
• Marine Mammal Protection Act
• Migratory Bird Treaty Act
• Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918
• National Wetlands Inventory
• National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966
• Sikes Act
• Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992

Wildlife management

• International Migratory Bird Day
• Timeline of environmental events
• Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research
• United States Fish and Wildlife Service list of endangered species

Other related topics

• Arizona Game and Fish Department
• National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation
• National Wildlife Refuge Association
• North American Game Warden Museum

External links

• Official web site of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Fish And Wildlife Service
• FWS Midwest Region
• U.S. fishery agency Annual Reports 1871-1940 and 1947-1979
• Meeting Notices and Rule Changes from The Federal Register
• Lower Great Lakes Fishery Resources Office
• Director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service dies at Keystone
• DOI Secretary Ken Salazar's Statement on the Passing of Fish and Wildlife Service Director Sam Hamilton