Station Facts

Warm Springs Regional Fisheries Center Sign. Credit: USFWS Image.

• Established: 1990.
• The Center was established as the final step in developing a field station in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region’s fishery program that would incorporate the Warm Springs Fish Health Center, Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery, and Warm Springs Fish Technology Center into a single, centralized complex.
• The Bears Bluff National Fish Hatchery, South Carolina, was later incorporated into the complex as a unit under the Warm Springs Fish Technology Center.
• The Center works to strengthen the fisheries program in the 10 states of the Southeast Region.
• Staff of Center Director and three support staff who provide services to all other programmatic areas.

 

 

Station Goals

• Restoration and management of interjurisdictional coastal and riverine fishes such as striped bass, sturgeon, paddlefish, and robust redhorse.
• Recovery of species listed under the Endangered Species Act, such as: the shortnose sturgeon, Gulf sturgeon, robust redhorse, paddlefish, and various imperiled small stream fishes.
• Development of propagation and assessment techniques for native fishes in the southern United States.
• Evaluation and management of factors that affect the health of fish populations.

 

 

Station Programs

Atlantic Sturgeon. Credit: USFWS Image.

• Warm Springs staff are currently involved with the development induced broodstock spawning and culture work with Gulf sturgeon, shortnose sturgeon, lake sturgeon and Atlantic sturgeon.
• A line of Gulf Coast striped bass broodstock is being maintained at Warm Springs NFH for genetic-verification as a component of the Gulf Coast Striped Bass Restoration Program. These captive fish also provide both a back-up to wild broodstock and an opportunity to use both excess broodfish and limited numbers of progeny for various purposes.
• The robust redhorse is presently on the Georgia endangered species list and is a candidate species for Federal ESA listing. The NFH and Fish Technology Center units continue to develop culture techniques for this species in partnership with several states and universities.

 

 

Services Provided To

Warm Springs RFC Hosts 2009 Kids Fish For Fun Event. Credit: USFWS Image.

• Federal agencies including other Fish and Wildlife Service program offices.
• State agencies
• Native American Tribes.
• Military bases.
• Universities.
• Non-governmental organizations (NGO’s).
• The public.

 

 

Public Use Opportunities

Kids learning about turtles at the 2009 Kids Fish for Fun Event. Credit: USFWS Image.

• Public aquarium and visitor’s area.
• More than 50,000 visitors each year.
• Conduct a kids fishing day at Warm Springs and Bears Bluff annually.
• Environmental education to school groups, scouts and others.
• Bird watching.
• Native terrestrial (mammals & reptiles) viewing.