ABOUT
The National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) is an unprecedented effort to protect, restore, and enhance fish and aquatic communities in the U.S. Since 2006, NFHP has completed over 1,000 projects in 50 states. From freshwater to estuarine and coastal projects, NFHP protects, restores, and enhances fish habitat nationwide, leveraging federal, state, tribal, and private funding resources. It is grounded on science and driven by regional partnerships with the capacity to successfully achieve these fish habitat conservation goals and objectives.
MISSION: To protect, restore and enhance the nation’s fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation and improve the quality of life for the American people.
HOW IT WORKS
The overall strength and benefits from this partnership model are attributed to its strategic perspective, providing a framework for coordinated voluntary collaborative efforts of state, federal, and local agencies, local communities, industry, including non-governmental and other conservation organizations, and other partners. This effort creates an opportunity for these agencies and organizations to come together around landscape-scale habitat concerns, prioritize strategic actions, and develop and work toward common goals and objectives to protect, restore and enhance our nation’s most important freshwater, estuarine and marine fish habitats. By strategically addressing habitat concerns, the collaborative efforts can best reverse declines of fish species and enhance fishing opportunities and improve the health of aquatic habitat.
RECENT AUTHORIZATION
The National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnership Act (NFHCTPA) officially established NFHP and authorized the program at $7.2 million annually for FY21- FY25. It also clarified the roles of the partnerships, the NFHP Board, and the Fish and Wildlife Service, and secured an avenue for consistent funding for on-the-ground fish and aquatic habitat conservation. The National Fish Habitat Board will report to Congress, particularly the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate, and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives.
The Act provided a strong overarching framework to build on the existing Action Plan and further advance fish habitat protection habitat conservation actions nationally. NFHCTPA is modeled on the strategic and local implementation of conservation actions within a specific geography to benefit fish and fish habitat. This state-driven and locally-based successful model of conservation is similar in concept to the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, which has proven to be one of the most successful conservation programs in the United States.
Additional Resources
NFHP News
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National Fish Habitat Partnership Act Passes House
December 17, 2019 – The bipartisan National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnership Act (H.R. 1747), introduced by U.S. Reps. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) and Marc Veasey (D-Texas), passed in the U.S. House of Representatives as part of a broader package of natural resource legislation last week. The bill also advanced through the Senate in the Committee on Environment and Public […]
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National Fish Habitat Partnership Congressional Briefing
Recently, AFS joined the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Trout Unlimited, the American Sportfishing Association, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) in sponsoring a briefing for congressional staff on the accomplishments of the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) program. AFS member Doug Nygren, Fisheries Division Director of the […]
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National Fish Habitat Conservation through Partnerships Act Introduced
NATIONAL FISH HABITAT CONSERVATION THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS ACT INTRODUCED IN BOTH THE U.S. HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES & U.S. SENATE Washington D.C. (March 14, 2019)- The recreational fishing industry and conservation partners of the National Fish Habitat Partnership, applaud the sponsors of the National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnerships Act, as the bill was introduced in both […]
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National Fish Habitat Effort Focuses on Imperiled Waters
The National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) is an 11-year-old effort to shift attention, effort, and limited resources to state, federal, and private sectors with interests in fish habitats. Their mission is to protect, restore, and enhance the nation’s fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation and improve the quality of life […]
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Bi-partisan Legislation Aims to Authorize National Fish Habitat Partnership
In June, Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Ben Cardin, D-Md. introduced bipartisan legislation to authorize the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP). The National Fish Habitat Conservation Act, S. 1436, authorizes $7.2 million annually for fish habitat restoration and protection projects that are supported by regional Fish Habitat Partnerships and codifies the National Fish Habitat Action […]