Fishy Alphabet Soup: The Role of Federal Agencies in Wild Fish Revival

You might be wondering – how could recent firings and budget cuts across various federal agencies affect wild fish? Since it can be difficult to keep track of all the government bodies involved in wild fish management and conservation, we’ve prepared a cheat sheet for you, along with actions you can take to ensure the federal government does its job protecting wild fish.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) - NFS primarily works with the BLM on the Molalla and lower Deschutes River. Our BLM partners on the Molalla include hydrologists and fish biologists who have expert knowledge about where habitat restoration needs to happen and how to design and implement these restoration efforts. In addition, they help us procure the wood needed to get the restoration work done – and obtaining wood is often the biggest and most work-intensive challenge in large habitat restoration projects! That same BLM team has also worked with The Freshwater Trust and other non-profits to restore critical fish habitat in the Sandy and North Fork Santiam rivers. On the lower Deschutes, the fish biologist and hydrologist working with us have been creating ideas for outreach and education projects, as well as major fish passage efforts.

Forest Service (USFS) - The Forest Service plays a very similar role in fish conservation and management as the BLM. Much like the BLM, the Forest Service employs fish biologists and hydrologists and is often at the forefront of habitat restoration. The USFS is the main federal agency leading restoration in the McKenzie River watershed, partnering with both the McKenzie Watershed Council as well as the McKenzie River Trust. USFS is also working with the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council and Deschutes Land Trust to restore Whychus Creek. USFS fish biologists also do a great job with outreach and education, and two of them led the snorkel field trip for us on the South Fork McKenzie.

Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) - The Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for the conservation of wildlife, including freshwater fish species, and in particular any ESA-listed species. USFWS manages public lands (through their wildlife refuges), controls invasive species, restores habitat, and enforces international regulations on fish and wildlife trade. Because the NFS is mostly concerned with anadromous fish species, we don’t tend to work directly with the USFWS, but its representative does sit on the Pelton Round Butte Fish Committee and often asks challenging and pointed questions.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, aka NOAA Fisheries) - NOAA/NMFS oversees the ESA program for anadromous fish species (including all salmon and steelhead), as well as managing marine fisheries. NOAA scientists also work on habitat restoration, with a larger emphasis on studying its effects and monitoring its efficacy for increasing fish populations. NOAA is also often involved with anadromous fish passage at large dams as well as dam removal projects and post-removal research and monitoring.

US Geological Survey (USGS) - Most anglers are probably most familiar with the USGS through its river gages (fun fact: Frederick Newell, the first Chief Hydrographer of the USGS, set up the USGS’ “gaging” system in 1892 and went with the old Saxon spelling of the word, which is why the USGS has “gages” rather than “gauges”). The USGS gages are useful for anglers and managers alike, but you might be surprised to learn that USGS is the agency regarded as being home to the most research-driven scientists of all the fish-related federal agencies! USGS offices are frequently affiliated with fisheries programs at research universities, with USGS scientists also having professorial appointments. NFS is actually working with well-respected USGS fish biologists on our lower Deschutes bioenergetics model of steelhead and Chinook growth. Research from USGS often helps us better understand how to manage rivers and habitats to best protect and bring back wild fish.

In addition to these roles, the BLM, USFS, and USFWS also respond to and help prevent wildfires, even if the specific employees aren’t designated as being in a “firefighting” position. The BLM hydrologist we work with on the Molalla spent weeks on fire fighting duty in southern Oregon last year, working to protect both forest and communities.

We might not always agree with the actions (or inaction) sometimes made by these large federal agencies, but they employ many people who are critical partners with us and who are deeply committed to fish conservation and restoration. The cuts to both their budgets and personnel will be deeply felt as we fight for wild, native fish and the rivers they rely on.

Actions You Can Take Right Now:

• Call or write your senators and congressional representatives to let them know that you are opposed to the cuts these agencies are facing and how it will affect you as an angler/recreationalist/conservationist, as well as the economic hit this will take on local communities you recreate in. This is particularly important if you’re in a state with Republican senators and/or representatives.

• Write op-eds in your local newspaper sharing the importance of these agencies and that you’re opposed to the firings and funding cuts.

• Share information like this and stories from federal workers who have been fired. 

Remember, if you stay silent, the assumption will be that you agree with what is happening. The only way for your elected officials to know you disagree is to be loud and make noise about it!