About Us

Protecting species and their habitats for future generations.

We share the federal responsibility with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service for administering the Endangered Species Act. While we manage the land and freshwater species, the National Marine Fisheries Service is responsible for marine and anadromous species. We use the best available science and sound management to further the USFWS mission to conserve, protect, and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We do this by:

  • Identifying species on the verge of extinction.
  • Helping build the road to recovery to bring them back.
  • Ensuring that fish and wildlife resources are considered by agencies during project planning and structure structure
    Something temporarily or permanently constructed, built, or placed; and constructed of natural or manufactured parts including, but not limited to, a building, shed, cabin, porch, bridge, walkway, stair steps, sign, landing, platform, dock, rack, fence, telecommunication device, antennae, fish cleaning table, satellite dish/mount, or well head.

    Learn more about structure     construction.
  • Protecting and restoring coastal resources.
  • Partnering with private landowners to restore fish and wildlife habitats.
  • Investigating the effects and clean-up of contaminants and restoring polluted habitats.

Our Work in the Pacific Islands

The Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office is part of the Ecological Services program and is responsible for the conservation of nearly 600 threatened and endangered. With 44% of the listed threatened and endangered species in the country belonging to the Pacific Islands, we place an emphasis on preventing extinction and recovering listed species that are culturally important and found no where else on the planet. Our area of responsibility is the U.S. Pacific Islands, a geographic area larger than the continental United States with a diverse set of ecosystems ranging from coral reefs to streams, and rainforests to alpine deserts.

Our Mission

Our mission is to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Through our coordination with federal agencies, state, territorial, and commonwealth governments, non-profit organizations, private landowners, universities, local communities, and citizen science partners, we are able to strengthen conservation efforts throughout the Pacific Islands. 

Our Values

We value service, respect, leadership, scientific excellence, biological diversity, integrity, accountability, and lasting results.  We value the cultural diversity and traditions found across the Pacific Islands and work to integrate these traditions into our conservation outcomes. 
 
Service 
We serve the American people. 

Respect 
We value the people we work with and treat each other, our partners, and the public with professionalism and respect. 

Leadership 
We inspire leadership, creativity, and innovation in conservation, our workplace, and the communities we serve. 

Scientific Excellence 
Science informs our decisions and shapes our conservation actions. 

Biological Diversity
Native (and/or functional) biodiversity is essential to the long term health and welfare of society and the natural world on which we depend. 

Integrity and Accountability 
We are accountable to each other, our mission and vision, our agency, and the American people. 

Lasting Results 
Our conservation actions make a difference.