The National Fish Habitat Partnership is excited to announce its “Waters to Watch” list for 2023. This annual list represents a collection of strategic conservation efforts implemented on rivers, streams, estuaries, and lakes to protect, restore, or enhance fish habitat. These voluntary, locally-driven projects represent some of the top conservation activities completed or in progress by 20 regionally-based Fish Habitat Partnerships throughout the country. These projects are carried out under the goals and objectives of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. These conservation projects conserve freshwater, estuarine, and marine habitats essential to many fish and wildlife species.
Over 140 Fish Habitat Partnership Waters to Watch projects have been featured since 2007 and demonstrate science-based, on-the-ground conservation efforts protecting or improving fish habitat across the United States. In 2023, the National Fish Habitat Partnership is featuring two retrospective Waters to Watch project, reflecting on the continued progress of a conservation project listed previously as a Water to Watch.
“These projects, which focus on the protection, restoration, and enhancement of fish habitats across the country, are a great example of collaborative conservation implemented through the National Fish Habitat Partnership,” said Robert Boyles, Chairman of the National Fish Habitat Board.“Our partnerships are a truly unique example of achieving conservation results through wide ranging partnerships. These efforts to improve fishing and habitat for fish and for the enjoyment of all Americans, is very much a team effort.”
Annually, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides both funding and technical assistance to the 20 Fish Habitat Partnerships across the country to aid in implementing aquatic conservation projects nationwide. The work of the National Fish Habitat Partnership is also supported broadly by many federal, state, tribes, local agencies and conservation organizations.
Learn more about the National Fish Habitat Partnership, partner projects happening across the U.S., and how to get involved.
The 2023 Waters to Watch list and associated Fish Habitat Partnerships:
• Annette Island, Metlakatla Indian Community, AK – Southeast Alaska FHP
• Finn Rock Run, OR – Pacific Lamprey Conservation Initiative
• Galena River Watershed, IL – Fishers and Farmers Partnership
• Island Park Reservoir, ID – Reservoir FHP
• Lower Heeia Watershed Restoration, HI – Hawaii Fish Habitat Partnership
• Matheson Wetland, UT – Desert Fish Habitat Partnership
• Mid Klamath Tributary, CA – California Fish Passage Forum
• Native Fish Passage in the San Joaquin River, CA – California Fish Passage Forum
• Spread Creek, WY – Western Native Trout Initiative
• Big Lake, AK – Mat-Su Basin Salmon Habitat Partnership
Visit the “Waters to Watch” page on the website to view archived projects. Through project tracking, National Fish Habitat Partnership projects have Our conservation projects have reconnected more than 6,000 miles of rivers and streams while conserving over 45,000 acres of river, lake, riparian, upland, estuary, and wetland habitat.
About the National Fish Habitat Partnership:
Since 2006, the National Fish Habitat Partnership has supported over 1,300 projects benefiting fish habitat in all 50 states. The National Fish Habitat Partnership works to conserve fish habitat nationwide, leveraging federal, state, tribal, and private funding resources to achieve the greatest impact on fish populations through priority conservation projects of 20 regionally-based Fish Habitat Partnerships.