United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is the unit of the U.S. Department of the Interior dedicated to the management and preservation of wildlife.
Units within the FWS include: National Wildlife Refuge System
[http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/ Migratory Birds program]
Federal Duck Stamp
National Fish Hatchery System
Endangered Species program
[http://www.fws.gov/le/ Office of Law Enforcement]
History
The U.S. FWS originated in 1871 as the U.S. Commission on Fish and Fisheries, created by Congress with the purpose of studying and recommending solutions to a decline in food fish. Spencer Fullerton Baird was appointed its first commissioner.In 1885, the Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy was established in the 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; under his 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.
The Service is a bureau within the Department of Interior. Its mission is, working with others, to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages 548 National Wildlife Refuges and 66 National Fish Hatcheries amongst other facilities.
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
Related governmental agencies
National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement
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
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
North American Game Warden Museum
Translation
The phrase "United States Fish and Wildlife Service" occurs as such in the following languages: English, German, French, Norwegian (Bokmål), Polish, Portuguese.
Translation(s) in other languages: Spanish: Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de los Estados Unidos, Lithuanian: Jungtinių Valstijų Žuvų ir Laukinės gamtos tarnyba, Japanese: 合衆国魚類野生生物局, Ukrainian: Служба рибних ресурсів та дикої природи США.
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