Working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

What's going on at FWS

With more than 560 National Wildlife Refuges, 70 national fish hatcheries, numerous regional and field offices across the country and thousands of active conservation projects, the nearly 8,000 employees of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have a lot going on. Here are a few of the latest news stories from across the Service...

Wetland with birds in low light
Recreation
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Announces Voluntary Pilot Programs for Lead-Free Hunting
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced it is implementing a pilot program at seven National Wildlife Refuges during the Fall 2024 hunting season to test voluntary, incentive-based efforts to increase the use of lead-free ammunition by hunters on Service-administered lands. The best...
logo that shows a silhouette of a bighorn sheet and bird going up the side of a mountain with the text "Endangered Species Athletics"
Wildlife Wonders
Endangered Species Athletics
The premier summer sporting event of 2024 is here – the Endangered Species Athletics competition! From July 20-July 27, 2024, 16 listed species from across the United States went feather-to-fin and leaf-to-paw in four virtual events: swimming, climbing, track and strength.
A river passes through a partially deconstructed dam
Habitat Restoration
The rewards of restoring a river
The High Street Dam stood as the first barrier to migratory fish on the Town River in Bridgewater. Thanks to efforts by many partners, the dam is gone, and the upstream bridge has been replaced. The work benefits not only fish but also the community and was partially funded by the Bipartisan...
The orange arm of a construction excavator reaches into a river to break apart a dam
Habitat Restoration
Of herring and humans
Taunton residents lived with the specter of dam failures for decades, as structures that once harnessed the Mill River’s power fell into disrepair. A wake-up call in the early 2000s led to a restored waterway that not only increases public safety but also offers river herring and other migratory...
A wood turtle with yellow highlights around the legs and neck
Our Partners
New resource provides guidance for wood-turtle friendly forest management
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Alliance of Forest Owners, and the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc., have released a new resource that provides guidance for forest managers to support wood turtles on their woodlands. The guidance document is the first landowner...
A man in waders, ballcap, and nitrile gloves holds an instrument in a river.
Science and Technology
Skin, Scales, and Scat
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service eDNA expertise harnessed by new White House strategy to explore, map and monitor aquatic life. Environmental DNA, or eDNA for short, is a tool that can be used to monitor the presence of a species in the water, on land, or even in the air. This emerging technology...

Our Focus

The history of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can be traced back to 1871. We are the only federal government agency whose primary responsibility is to manage fish and wildlife resources in the public trust for people today and future generations. Here are just a few of our focus areas...

What We Do For You

If you’re looking for places to experience nature; interested in partnering with us; seeking technical advice, permits, grants, data or scientific research; want to know more about today’s conservation challenges; looking for ways on how you can get involved and make a difference -- the Service has a lot to offer and more…

Visit Us - Our Locations

With more than 560 national wildlife refuges, dozens of national fish hatcheries and more than 100 field offices, there are numerous great U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service locations to visit.