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 Infographic
• NFHP Fact Sheet

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