Implementation of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan: Progress in Protecting, Restoring and Enhancing Fish Habitats, Fish and Fisheries in the United States Part 1

Since 2006, the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (Plan) has served as a catalyst for the cooperative conservation of fish habitats in the US.  The Plan has: fostered the formation of innovative conservation partnerships; guided local, regional and national assessments of the status and trends of fish habitats; contributed to holistic, integrated and science-based approaches to conservation planning; and supported strategic investments of resources in scale-appropriate and transformational conservation actions.   Through the collective actions of the National Fish Habitat Partnership and its embedded 19 regional and system-based Fish Habitat Partnerships that work to implement the Plan, significant advancements have been made in the science and practice of fish habitat conservation.  In direct support of Objective 5 of the Plan, this symposium will: communicate outcomes and accomplishments of the partnerships; highlight the latest regional and national fish habitat assessments; share successful voluntary conservation strategies; identify meaningful and cost-effective approaches for restoring, protecting and enhancing fish habitats; and promote emerging best management practices for the conservation of our nation’s fish habitats.  Furthermore, this symposium will attempt to offer context for these conservation efforts by characterizing the condition of the aquatic landscape in the US and identifying regional conservation challenges and needs for a broad range of fish habitats including headwaters streams, large rivers, natural lakes, reservoirs, estuaries, and near-shore marine environments.