Foreign Language Translation now Available on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Web Site

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is pleased to announce a new program that translates its Web pages into Spanish, French and simplified Chinese. This capability will make it easier for people who read these languages to obtain information about the Service and its work.

Visitors to the Service’s homepage (http://www.fws.gov) and in the Southeast (http://www.fws.gov/southeast), may view Service Web pages in the language of their choice, by clicking on the French, Spanish or Chinese flag. A disclaimer will appear explaining that the English version of the Web content is the official version and that machine translations can be imprecise. The next click will provide a translated version of the Service’s home page. From there readers can click on any page they want translated. It is important to note that certain types of Web pages, such as pdf files and graphics, will not translate. The Service is creating a dictionary of terms that will assist in correct translation of technical words specific to the Service’s work.

The Service is asking internet visitors to e-mail webtrans@fws.gov if you see a translation that is incorrect or inappropriate so it can be corrected.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.