Fisheries Budget
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is America’s premier Federal natural resource conservation agency. Our mission is to work with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
We are seeking to increase voluntary partnerships with farmers and ranchers, State and local governments, Federal agencies, Tribes, citizen volunteers, corporations, and conservation groups in pursuit of our conservation goals. The Service has a variety of programs that will match in the project costs to restore habitat, protect aquatic species, and conserve natural resources. The Service also offers our technical expertise to assist others with their efforts. This document provides information on our budget and the different partnership opportunities that are available by the Pacific Region’s Fishery Resource Program.
The budget for the Fisheries Resource Program in the Pacific Region (Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon and Washington) is comprised of three accounts:
- Resource Management ($18.5 million): This account supports the Service’s core activities such as hatchery production, fish health surveys, aquatic inter-jurisdictional species monitoring, and habitat restoration.
- Construction ($1.5 million): This account supports the Fisheries Resource Irrigation and Mitigation Act (FRIMA). In addition, this account supports the repair and construction of Service facilities (e.g. National Fish Hatcheries).
- Reimbursable Funding ($32.2 million): This account supports mitigation activities (e.g. Lower Snake Compensation Plan, Mitchell Act, etc.) as well as other activities such as aquatic species population monitoring and evaluation. Reimbursable funding comes from a variety of external parties including State, Tribes, non-governmental organizations and other Federal agencies.
FEDERAL BUDGET PROCESS
The Federal budget process is approximately 18 months long. Generally, the out-year budget process begins internally during the spring with requests being submitted by the Regions to Washington D.C. These proposals, if they are accepted, are then reviewed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Headquarters and Department of Interior during the summer. A draft budget is then submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and returned to the Service around late November. Recommendations by OMB are then incorporated into the budget justification to Congress, otherwise referred to as the Congressional Justification or President’s Budget, during the first week of February simultaneously with the President’s State of the Union address. Congress reviews the President’s Budget and holds hearings on the proposals. Public input is accepted during this time. The new fiscal year starts October 1st for the Federal government.
PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Of the Fisheries Resource Management and Construction accounts, 14 percent is available for partnership opportunities. The remainder of the Fisheries budget (86 percent) supports operational needs.
Habitat Restoration, Fish Passage, FRIMA, and Aquatic Invasive Control have been the traditional partnership programs. Many of these programs were designed to have a cost-share component and to actively seek restoration projects in coordination with others. These programs are also the fastest growing component, more than doubling from $2.5 million to $6.1 million, of the Fisheries program.
In addition, the Service’s is available to share its expertise on regulatory issues regarding Section 7, NEPA, and other regulatory issues. The Service also has the capability to conduct applied research and genetic analysis projects.
The Service also has other partnership opportunities in other programs such as the Partners for Fish and Wildlife, Coastal, National Wildlife Refuge System, and Endangered Species Program. Many of these opportunities are a component of the Secretary of the Interior’s Cooperative Conservation Initiative (CCI). The intent of CCI is to foster a Nation of citizen stewards, Secretary Norton is advancing a 4 C's philosophy -- conservation through communication, consultation and cooperation. The Department is expanding the tools in the conservation "toolbox" available to private land owners and federal land mangers to enhance and achieve conservation. These tools include grants funded through the Cooperative Conservation Initiative (CCI). For more information on CCI and the many partnership opportunities the Service and other Department of Interior bureaus offer go to: http://www.nbc.gov/cci/matrix.cfm.
In order to receive federal funds through the State Wildlife Grants program, Congress charged each state and territory with developing a Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy. Also known as State Wildlife Action Plans, these proactive plans will help conserve wildlife and vital natural areas before they become too rare and costly to protect. As our communities grow, the wildlife action plans will give us the ability to fulfill our responsibility to conserve wildlife and the lands and waters where they live for future generations. Information on strategy implementation activities, including contact information, links, and brief summaries for each state plan can be located at www.teaming.com.
Title |
Eligibility |
Cost Share |
Amount |
National Fish Passage Program |
Fish passage projects are not eligible for funding if they are for any Federal or State compensatory mitigation. Fish passage projects are not eligible for funding if fish passage is a condition provided by existing Federal or State regulatory programs. For example, you may not use fish passage funds to construct, operate, or maintain fish passage at facilities licensed or permitted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. |
50% non-Federal |
$3.6M nation-wide, ~$400K to Region 1 |
Fisheries Restoration and Irrigation Mitigation Program |
The applicant(s) must assume responsibility for project operation and maintenance.
• At least one of the project applicants must be a local government (counties, cities, towns, regional governments, and local service districts including Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Irrigation Districts, and Port Districts).
• The proposal must meet applicable state and federal requirements for project construction and operation.
Some special provisions apply for projects on federal lands and for projects involving tribal lands and governments.
For additional information on project eligibility see these: http://www.fws.gov/pacific/Fisheries/Fish%20Passage-Screening%20Q&As.htm |
35% matching funds or in-kind contributions (matching funds or contributions must be from a non-federal source unless the project is on federal lands; in-kind contributions may include such things as easements, materials, equipment, or labor). |
$2.0M nation-wide, ~ $1,4M to Region 1 |
Aquatic Invasive Species |
All partners (although state AIS management plan funding is limited to a primary lead agency) |
25% non-Federal for state AIS management plan funding |
$3.8M nation-wide, $240K to Region 1 |
National Fish Habitat Initiative (a.k.a. Western Native Trout Initiative) |
Any private, state, federal, tribal, nonprofit organization or community group (such as a watershed team), or land trust is eligible. |
Highly encouraged. Projects with higher partner contributions will rank higher. |
$985K nation-wide, ~$200k to Western United States |
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation |
Any organization (except private landowners)
For further information go to:
http://www.nfwf.org/programs/nfhi_pacific_nw.cfm |
Highly encouraged. Projects with higher partner contributions will rank higher. |
~$200k to NFWF |
Chehalis Restoration Program |
Any private, state, federal, tribal, nonprofit organization or community group (such as a watershed team), land trust, or individual entity is eligible. Well designed and placed habitat restoration, assessments, and outreach/education projects are eligible. The following are not eligible (partial list): acquisition, required mitigation, recreation access, and streambank hardening. |
25% non-Federal
Exceptions, Fish Passage projects: Large industrial timber companies, 75% required; Public entities, 50% required. |
~ $180k to general partners and $65k to Quinault Indian Nation and Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation |
