FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 18, 2014
Ryan Roberts

rroberts@fishwildlife.org

 SOUTHEAST ALASKA FISH HABITAT PARTNERSHIP RECOGNIZED BY NATIONAL FISH HABITAT BOARD

 The National Fish Habitat Partnership now has 19 Partnerships Focused on Habitat Conservation

(Washington, DC) – On Monday, March 10 during the second day of the National Fish Habitat Board’s spring meeting the Southeast Alaska Fish Habitat Partnership (SEAKFHP) was granted full recognition status.  Fish Habitat Partnerships are the primary work units of the National Fish Habitat Partnership and take the lead in bringing partners together to put conservation projects “on-the-ground” that make a difference for fish and their habitats across the nation. These partnerships are formed around important aquatic habitats, distinct geographic areas, “keystone” fish species or system types. With the recent board action, there are now 19 of these highly productive partnerships working across the nation to build strong coalitions dedicated to protecting, restoring and enhancing America’s fish habitats.

The Southeast Alaska Fish Habitat Partnership spans the entire southern panhandle of Alaska including the dynamic watersheds and waterways that make up the Alexander Archipelago. This region ranks as one of the largest, most complex, and intact estuarine and temperate rainforest on earth, and is filled with many small, vibrant communities with economies and ways of living linked closely to fish and fishing.   In addition, this diverse coastal archipelago from its icefields to its estuaries supports a unique diversity of fish.  The mission of the Southeast Alaska Fish Habitat Partnership is to support cooperative fish habitat conservation, restoration, and management in freshwater, estuarine and marine ecosystems across Southeast Alaska with consideration of economic, social, and cultural interests of local communities in its endeavors.

“The Southeast Alaska Fish Habitat Partnership did an outstanding job in preparing a well thought out partnership strategy in advance of coming to the Board seeking formal recognition.”  said Kelly Hepler, Chair of the National Fish Habitat Board.  “The Board will provide every opportunity possible to help this partnership grow and succeed in providing critical on-the-ground conservation in southeast Alaska. “

“We are delighted with the recent approval from the Board; this recognition will assist us in our efforts to foster cooperative fish habitat conservation across the many watersheds and waterways that make up the southern panhandle of Alaska.” Deborah Hart, SEAKFHP Coordinator

“We are pleased the Board formally recognized the Southeast Alaska Fish Habitat Partnership as a member of the national network of Fish Habitat Partnerships. The Southeast Partnership along with other partnerships in Alaska and across the nation greatly expands the capacity of the Service and our state partners to conserve and restore habitat for the benefit of fish and aquatic species and the American public.” Geoffrey Haskett, Alaska Regional Director, USFWS

“Trout Unlimited is thrilled the Southeast Alaska Fish Habitat Partnership has received formal recognition from the national board.  We look forward to continuing our work with other regional partners to collaborate on fish habitat conservation and restoration issues across the Tongass National Forest, the country’s largest and most salmon-rich national forest.  The National Fish Habitat Board’s decision to give the group formal partner status will definitely be a key step in that effort going forward,” said Mark Kaelke, Trout Unlimited, Southeast Alaska Project Director.

“The SEAKFHP will assist the Forest Service in Alaska to leverage support for our salmon habitat restoration efforts that strive to enhance one of the most productive fisheries in North America.” Wayne Owen, Director –Wildlife, Fisheries, Ecology, Watershed and Subsistence, Alaska Region, U.S. Forest Service

Below is a list of partners cooperating in on-the-ground conservation with the Southeast Alaska Fish Habitat Partnership:

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Juneau Habitat Restoration Team
• U.S. Forest Service, Alaska Region/Tongass National Forest
• NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Region, Habitat Conservation Division
• Alaska Department of Fish and Game
• Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
• Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
• City and Borough of Yakutat
• Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition
• The Nature Conservancy
• Trout Unlimited
• Sitka Conservation Society
• Alaska Coastal Rainforest Center
• University of Alaska Southeast GIS Library

More information on the Southeast Alaska Fish Habitat Partnership can be found on their website:www.seakfhp.org

About the National Fish Habitat Partnership:

Since 2006, The National Fish Habitat Partnership has been a partner in 417 projects in 46 states benefiting fish habitat. The National Fish Habitat Partnership works to conserve fish habitat nationwide, leveraging federal, state, and private funding sources to achieve the greatest impact on fish populations through priority conservation projects. The national partnership implements the National Fish Habitat Action Plan and supports 18 regional grassroots partner organizations. For more information visit:

http://fishhabitat.org/
http://www.facebook.com/NFHAP
https://twitter.com/FishHabitat

http://www.scoop.it/t/fish-habitat

Sportfishing and Conservation Groups Hail Introduction of National Fish Habitat Conservation Act in Senate

Bipartisan Bill will help Conserve Aquatic Resources and support the National Fish Habitat Partnership

March 6, 2014 – Washington, D.C. – Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced S. 2080 the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act (NFHCA) on March 5, 2014. The bipartisan legislation authorizes the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP) – an unprecedented national partnership effort aimed squarely at protecting, restoring and enhancing the nation’s aquatic resources and fish habitat.

Both Senators Cardin and Crapo sit on the Environment and Public Works Committee – Senator Cardin is the Chair of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee. Previous versions of NFHCA have enjoyed broad bipartisan support in Congress, including bipartisan approval by the Environment and Public Works Committee in two different Congresses. The language in the bill introduced today includes modifications to language in earlier versions of NFHCA that were made in consultation with several Senators and their staffs from both sides of the aisle.

“Choosing to protect our natural resources is good for our environment and our economy. Right now we need deliberate and targeted action to stem the loss of our precious aquatic habitats,” said Senator Cardin. “Our bill takes a comprehensive approach to stopping the single greatest cause of declining fish populations, by stemming the decline of healthy aquatic ecosystems that are critical to all fish species. We need to encourage healthier habitats for waterfowl and other wildlife as well as safer recreational waters for Americans to swim, boat and fish.”

“The legislation we’ve introduced stems from Senator Cardin’s and my shared goals of protecting, maintaining and improving our fish habitats,” said Senator Crapo.  “Instead of creating new regulations and mandates, our bill fosters partnerships between federal, regional and local stakeholders to work together to promote healthy and sustainable fish populations for our communities.”

A wide range of sportsmen’s and conservation groups has endorsed this legislation over the years. It is the hope of these groups and others supporting this historic piece of legislation that it be adopted as an amendment to the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2014 (S. 1996) – a package of legislation introduced by Senators Kay Hagan (D-NC) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).

“We truly appreciate the leadership of Senators Cardin and Crapo in the introduction of this Act,” said Gordon Robertson, Vice President of the American Sportfishing Association. “The National Fish Habitat Conservation Act would be a great addition to the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2014 as it does not have a fishery habitat conservation piece of any kind and we believe the Fish Habitat Act would not only round out the package of bills but solidify the benefits for the sportsmen and women’s communities.  The Fish Habitat Conservation Act will be a great compliment to the existing and long standing Sport Fish Restoration Act.”

“The National Fish Habitat Conservation Act is a critical piece of locally driven, common-sense legislation that will benefit local communities, and fish and fish habitat,” said Jen Mock Schaeffer, Government Affairs Director for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.  “Designed to replicate the continent’s preeminent and successful plan for conserving waterfowl, the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act can provide the same kind of conservation benefits for fish and fish habitat across the country.

“The Nature Conservancy joins our partner organizations in supporting the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act introduced by Senators Cardin and Crapo,” said Kameran Onley, Director of U.S. Government Relations for The Nature Conservancy.  “After many months of negotiations, we are pleased with this version of the legislation which reinforces the importance of the role of states and better addresses concerns raised by ranching and agriculture communities.  This legislation is a model for the way conservation should occur – through voluntary, community-based, and from the-ground-up efforts.”

“The National Fish Habitat Action Plan is already working on the ground to make sport fishing better, from helping farmers manage livestock to protecting brook trout streams in West Virginia, to enhancing growth of native vegetation, improving water quality on Lake Conroe, Texas, to improving stream flows for coho salmon through a partnership with vintners on the Russian River, California” said Steve Moyer, Trout Unlimited.  “The new bill will ensure that farmers, ranchers and other landowners have a seat at the decision-making table and will ensure the long term sustainability of the program.”

In 2013 alone, National Fish Habitat Partnership projects opened nearly 200 miles of waterways to fish passage.  Efforts like this implemented by grassroots-led habitat partnerships are one of only a few ways the National Fish Habitat Partnership is making a difference in conserving fish habitats across the country.

About the National Fish Habitat Partnership:

Since 2006, The National Fish Habitat Partnership has been a partner in 417 projects in 46 states benefiting fish habitat. The National Fish Habitat Partnership works to conserve fish habitat nationwide, leveraging federal, state, and private funding sources to achieve the greatest impact on fish populations through priority conservation projects. The national partnership implements the National Fish Habitat Action Plan and supports 18 regional grassroots partner organizations. For more information visit:

http://fishhabitat.org/
http://www.facebook.com/NFHAP
https://twitter.com/FishHabitat

http://www.scoop.it/t/fish-habitat

Ryan Roberts

National Fish Habitat Partnership Communications Coordinator

Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies

444 N. Capitol St. NW (Suite 725)

Washington, DC 20001

O: 202.624.5851

C: 202.329.8882

www.fishhabitat.org