National Fish Habitat Conservation Act

The National Fish Habitat Action Plan is an investment strategy to restore our waterways and make conservation dollars go farther. This science-based plan will leverage federal and privately raised funds to build regional partnerships aimed at fixing the nation's biggest fisheries problems. This is the most comprehensive effort ever attempted to treat the causes of fish habitat decline, not just the symptoms.

The Action Plan is targeted toward fisheries protection, restoration and enhancement in key watersheds and is based on use of the best scientific expertise on fisheries and habitat management.

The National Fish Habitat Conservation Act (NFHCA), introduced by Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI), and supported by the House CSC leadership, and in the Senate by Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), is a bipartisan investment strategy to restore our waterways and make conservation dollars go farther. The NFHCA is a national, bipartisan effort to protect, restore, and enhance the nation’s fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation.

The purposes of this Act are to encourage partnerships among public agencies and other interests consistent with the mission and goals of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan:

(1) To conserve, protect and maintain intact and healthy aquatic systems;

(2) To prevent further degradation of fish habitats that have been adversely affected;

(3) To reverse declines in the quality and quantity of aquatic habitats to improve the overall health of fish and other aquatic organisms;

(4) To increase the quality and quantity of fish habitats that support a broad natural diversity of fish and other aquatic species consistent with the goals of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan; and

(5) To improve fisheries habitat, therefore improving the annual economic output from recreational and commercial fishing.