Which department is responsible for protecting and conserving natural resources?

We are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the American people.

We offer a variety of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and our shared natural heritage. And through our work to conserve natural resources, we provide communities with healthier environments, clean water, flood control and a strong economy.

Achieving Our Mission

Learn about our priorities, statutory authority and functions. 

History of Fish and Wildlife

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is a bureau within the U.S. Department of the Interior and we are the world’s first and oldest conservation agency. Our origins date back to 1871 when Congress established the U.S. Fish Commission to study why the nation’s food fishes were decreasing and recommend ways to reverse that decline.

Though the name of our agency has changed multiple times over the years, what endures is the collective dedication of Service employees to face the conservation challenges of their day—and now, our day—with ingenuity, integrity and hard work. Fortunately, our history shows that we’ve always been up to the challenge.

Our Organization

Our Locations

Latest Stories

One of our top priorities is working together with those who have stewarded the country’s lands and wildlife since time immemorial. Native American Tribes have long dedicated themselves to management and conservation of fish, wildlife, and their habitats. Read about a few of the projects were we...

Following a review of the best available scientific information, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined the Dixie Valley toad is at risk of extinction and is listing the species as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, continuing the protections applied to the toad in the...

Ventura, Calif. - Two plants that live on California’s Channel Islands and nowhere else on earth – the Santa Cruz Island dudleya and island bedstraw – have reached recovery thanks to Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is proposing to remove the...

The bat, listed as threatened in 2015, now faces extinction due to the rangewide impacts of white-nose syndrome, a deadly disease affecting hibernating bats across North America. The rule takes effect on January 30, 2023. The growing extinction crisis highlights the importance of the Endangered...

After working around the clock for two weeks, the Biden-Harris administration announced it has forged critical agreements to ensure legal, traceable and biologically sustainable international trade of wild animals and plants.

Who helps prepare your holiday meals? Do they have wings, antennae and six legs? If you’re eating apple pie, cranberry sauce and other common dishes, they do! By helping plants reproduce, bees and other pollinators make our special dinners possible. Meet a few of these busy bees in this article.

You may also want to...