Strategic Plan for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program: FY2016-2020

This Strategic Plan for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program: FY2016-2020 (Plan) is built around seven core goals:
• Conserve Aquatic Species;
• Conserve, Restore, and Enhance Aquatic Habitats;
• Manage Aquatic Invasive Species;
• Fulfill Tribal Trust and Subsistence Responsibilities;
• Enhance Recreational Fishing and Other Public Uses of Aquatic Resources;
• Increase Staffing Levels, Technical Capabilities, and Natural and Physical Assets to Fully Meet Our Mission; and
• Educate and Engage the Public and our Partners to Advance our Conservation Mission.

Each of these goals acknowledges the specific and very real challenges we face today in achieving our mission. Each goal also contains specific objectives and related strategies to address those challenges and achieve measurable conservation successes. The Plan builds upon prior FAC Strategic Plans and the recommendations of the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (SFBPC), contained in their report, Strategic Vision for Fish and Aquatic Resource Conservation in the Fish and Wildlife Service: A Partnership Perspective, and provided to the Service in July 2013. This report resulted from a collaborative visioning effort conducted by the SFBPC on behalf of the FAC program.