The policy was signed by Service Director Mollie Beattie on June 28th. In announcing the policy, Beattie cited the mutual interests of Native American governments and the agency she heads.
"The Fish and Wildlife Service and the tribes have a long history of working together", Beattie said. "Adoption of this policy signals our determination to forge even stronger partnerships with Native Americans to help conserve and restore fish and wildlife and the ecosystems that support them."
Native Americans control over 50 million acres on reservations and are involved in managing an additional 50 million acres of ceded territories. These lands offer important habitat for a wide variety of fish and wildlife species such as bald eagles, waterfowl, salmon, bighorn sheep, neotropical migrant birds and many others.
The document calls for the Service to work with Native American Tribes in a government-to-government relationship through improved communication, mutual sharing of technical expertise, and respecting and utilizing the traditional knowledge and unique perspective of Native Americans as part of the agencys fish and wildlife management efforts.
The policy specifies increased consultation with Native American governments concerning fish and wildlife management and fosters improved channels of communication among the Service, Native American governments, as well as other Federal, state and local agencies and others.
In addition to fish and wildlife management concerns, the policy also addresses the role of fish and wildlife in the culture and religious practices of Native Americans. The Service is committed to involving Native American governments in all Service actions that may affect their cultural or religious interests, such as archeological sites or possession of parts of protected animals traditionally used in ceremonial or religious activities.
The document also calls for a heightened degree of cooperation related to fish and wildlife law enforcement, evaluation of law enforcement capability, and coordination of investigations into illegal wildlife activities.
In conclusion, Beattie added, "Within the Fish and Wildlife Service, we view Native Americans as key partners as we move toward a more ecosystem oriented approach to the conservation challenges of the next century."
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 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 530 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 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 governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our home page at: http://midwest.fws.gov
