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Recent News
Made in Alaska: Bering Cisco
How Alaska’s only endemic fish found its way to New York City markets
September 2021
Bering Cisco are the type of fish you see and say “Yup, that’s a fish” and continue with your day. They have that classic, but common fish look: silvery and fusiform. They’re not impressively huge either, fitting easily into two hands like a breakfast burrito. At one pound, they weigh about the same too.
The Lacey Act: Quietly Protecting Native Wildlife for Over 120 Years
August 2021
You may have never heard of the injurious wildlife provision of the Lacey Act. And when it’s working its best, you’ll never see the species it targets.
“I liken it to a parallel endangered species list,” says Su Jewell, Injurious Wildlife Listing Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
While the endangered and threatened species lists identify species in need of protection, the list of injurious wildlife regulates species expected to cause harm if they were to become established in U.S. environments outside their natural range. Once a species is added to the list of injurious wildlife, it becomes illegal to import it into the United States or transport it between the continental United States, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any U.S. territory without a permit (injurious wildlife provisions of the Lacey Act ).
Migrating Adult Sockeye Salmon Facing Elevated Water Temperatures in Columbia River Basin
August 2021 | By:Sarah Mastrian, Directorate Fellow, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Summer. A time to soak up the warmth of the sun, indulge in some cold treats, and of course — enjoy some exciting water recreation. During the summer, paddleboards, kayaks, fishing boats, and numerous other types of watercraft fill the Missouri River Basin. Anglers are hooked on opportunities to catch trout, walleye, bass, or perhaps even a hefty native paddlefish. The Missouri River Basin, composed of many tributaries and reservoirs, stretches from western Montana east to the Mississippi River near St. Louis, Missouri.
Migrating Adult Sockeye Salmon Facing Elevated Water Temperatures in Columbia River Basin
August 2021 | By: Brent Lawrence, Public Affairs Officer, USFWS Columbia Pacific Northwest
Elevated water temperature across the Columbia River basin is already having an impact on migrating adult sockeye salmon.
Due to the extreme heatwave in late June, coupled with decreased snowpack in many areas, the water temperatures on the Columbia River and its tributaries are spiking to unsafe levels for migrating salmon. These returning salmon do best when water temperatures are 60 degrees or below. However, they’re already encountering water in the low 70s as they navigate upstream to spawn.
A mid-July survey of adult sockeye salmon, collected at Priest Rapids Dam by the Yakama Nation, showed that most of the fish had multiple skin lesions ranging from light abrasions of the skin to large open sores exposing muscle. These lesions differ from those typically observed in 10-plus years of Yakama Nation moving adult salmon from Priest Rapids Dam to Lake Cle Elum.
Perfect Fish
Here’s a roundup of some of our favorite fishing tips from the experts who raise them.
Find a place to fish near you! Plan your next fishing trip at www.fws.gov/fishing.