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| National
Fish Habitat Action Plan News |
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Board
Establishes Approval Process for Partnerships
At
its meeting in early June, the National Fish
Habitat Board unanimously approved a process that
will pave the way for formal endorsement of Fish
Habitat Partnerships.
The
five Pilot Fish Habitat Partnerships - the
Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership, the
Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, the Western
Native Trout Initiative, the Midwest Driftless
Area Restoration Effort, and the Matanuska-Susitna
Salmon Restoration Partnership - have been invited
to apply for formal recognition at the next Board
meeting, which is scheduled for October 2-3 in
Washington, DC. They will be asked to
document their progress in establishing a broad
and diverse partnership, assessing habitat status
and threats, and developing a strategic plan that
targets priority conservation actions for fish
habitat.
Under the process approved by the Board, other
partnerships will be able to apply for Board
recognition in February of 2008 and several times
thereafter until 2010, when the Board has
committed to a goal of twelve or more Fish Habitat
Partnerships throughout the United States. |
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| Board
Meeting Roundup
At
the June Board meeting, the Pilot Fish Habitat
Partnerships took center stage, with a
representative of each having the opportunity to
describe their partnership's origins, evolution,
governance, monitoring and communications
strategies, accomplishments and plans for the
future.
In
other business:
The
Board approved four priority strategies for fish
habitat conservation that it intends to help
guide the work of Fish Habitat Partnerships and
other Action Plan partners engaged in fish
habitat projects. The strategies call on
partners to 1) identify and protect intact and
healthy waters, 2) rehabilitate river and stream
flows and lake and reservoir water surface
elevations, 3) reconnect fragmented habitat, and
4) reduce excess sedimentation, phosphorus and
nitrogen runoff.
- Dr.
Susan Haseltine of the U.S. Geological
Survey addressed the Board concerning USGS
support for the Action Plan and offered to
sponsor a workshop to address research
needs.
- Dr.
Mamie Parker of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service announced that FWS would be making
$125,000 of FY '08 FWS NFHAP funds available
to the Board for their priority funding
needs.
- The
Board also considered options for funding a
Communications staff person, and endorsed
the Communication Committee's preferred
option, the hiring of a full-time staff
person who would work under the direction of
the Board Chair. A sub-committee of
the Board will put together a funding
strategy.
- As
a result of the retirement of Vice-chair
Doug Hansen, the Board elected a new
Vice-chair, Kelly Hepler of the Alaska
Department of Fish and Game. Other
changes in the Board include a new
representative from BASS/ESPN, Chris Horton,
and a new Federal member, Chief of the U.S.
Forest Service Gail Kimbell (represented at
this meeting by Anne Zimmermann). In
addition, Krystyna Wolniakowski was named by
the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as
their official representative to the Board,
replacing Jeff Trandahl.
More
information on the Board meeting, including
briefing materials, can be found at http://www.fishhabitat.org/nationalboard.htm.
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