U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

is the premier government agency dedicated to the conservation, protection, and enhancement of fish, wildlife and plants, and their habitats. USFWS is the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is the conservation and management of these important natural resources for the American public. The USFWS’s origins date back to 1871 when Congress established the U.S. Fish Commission to study the decrease in the nation’s food fishes and recommend ways to reverse that decline.