North American
Waterfowl Management Plan

History

In 1985, waterfowl populations had plummeted to record lows. Historical data indicated that since the first settlers arrived 53 percent of the original 221 million wetland acres found in the contiguous United States had been destroyed. The habitat that waterfowl depend on for survival was disappearing at a rate of 60 acres per hour. The picture was the same across Canada, where a large percentage of the United States' wintering waterfowl nest. Wetland losses across Canada were estimated to be 29 to 71 percent since settlement. Waterfowl were then and are now the most prominent and economically important group of migratory birds of the North American continent. By 1985, approximately 3.2 million people were spending nearly $1 billion annually to hunt waterfowl, and interest in waterfowl and other migratory birds had grown in other arenas as well. About 18.6 million people observed, photographed, and otherwise appreciated waterfowl and spent $2 billion for the pleasure of doing it. Recognizing the importance of waterfowl and wetlands to North Americans and the need for international cooperation to help in the recovery of a shared resource, the Canadian and United States governments developed a strategy to restore waterfowl populations through habitat protection, restoration, and enhancement. The strategy was documented in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan signed in 1986 by the Canadian Minister of the Environment and the United States' Secretary of the Interior, the foundation partnership upon which hundreds of others would be built. With its update in 1994, Mexico became a signatory to the Plan.

The Premise

The Plan is innovative because its perspective is international in scope, but its implementation functions at the regional level. Its success is dependent upon the strength of partnerships, called Joint Ventures, involving federal, state, provincial, tribal, and local governments, businesses, conservation organizations, and individual citizens. Joint Ventures develop implementation plans focusing on areas of concern identified in the Plan. Partners' conservation projects not only advance waterfowl conservation, but make substantial contributions toward the conservation of all wetland-associated species. There are 11 Plan habitat Joint Ventures in the United States and 3 in Canada. One of those has international status, its boundaries stretching across the Canadian-United States border. Three species Joint Ventures have also been formed to address monitoring and research needs of specific species or species groups. The species Joint Ventures are also international in scope.

The Plan Committee

The Plan established an international committee with six representatives each from each of the three countries. It approves the formation of Joint Venture partnerships and reviews and approves Joint Venture implementation and evaluation plans. The Committee is responsible for updating the Plan, considering new scientific information and national and international policy developments, and for identifying the need to expand or diminish activities carried out on behalf of the Plan.

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service