(Washington, D.C.) - The National Fish Habitat Partnership (www.fishhabitat.org) is excited to announce its “Waters to Watch” list for 2022. This annual list represents a collection of strategic conservation efforts implemented on rivers, streams, estuaries, and lakes to protect, restore, or enhance fish habitat. These voluntary, locally-driven projects represent some of the top conservation activities completed or in progress by 20 regionally-based Fish Habitat Partnerships throughout the country. These projects are carried out under the goals and objectives of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. These conservation projects conserve freshwater, estuarine, and marine habitats essential to many fish and wildlife species. Over 130 Fish Habitat Partnership Waters to Watch projects have been featured since 2007 and demonstrate science-based, on-the-ground conservation efforts protecting or improving fish habitat across the United States. In 2022, the National Fish Habitat Partnership is featuring one retrospective Waters to Watch project, reflecting on the continued progress of a conservation project listed previously as a Water to Watch.

“These projects, which focus on the protection, restoration, and enhancement of fish habitats across the country, are a great example of collaborative conservation implemented through the National Fish Habitat Partnership,” said Ed Schriever, Chairman of the National Fish Habitat Board. “Our partnerships across the country are unique to conservation, and without habitat and great water quality, and quantity fishing and interest in fish species will be a challenge. Our projects seek to improve fishing and habitat for fish and for the enjoyment of all Americans.”

Annually, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides both funding and technical assistance to the 20 Fish Habitat Partnerships across the country to aid in implementing aquatic conservation projects nationwide. The work of the National Fish Habitat Partnership is also supported broadly by many federal, state, tribes, local agencies and conservation organizations.

Learn more about the National Fish Habitat Partnership, partner projects happening across the U.S., and how to get involved on our Partnerships page; by visiting the following website: http://www.fishhabitat.org/the-partnerships/.

The 2022 Waters to Watch list and associated Fish Habitat Partnerships:
• Deshka River, AK – Mat-Su Basin Salmon Habitat Partnership
• Grandpa’s Farm Road Bridge, AK – SE Alaska FHP
• Huzzah, Courtis, Shoal Creek Wetlands, MO – Fishers and Farmers Partnership
• Neskowin Fish Passage Improvement Project, OR – Pacific Marine and Estuarine Partnership
• Raystown Lake, PA - Reservoir Fish Habitat Partnership
• Susitna River, AK – Pacific Lamprey Conservation Initiative
• Tin Cup Creek, ID – Western Native Trout Initiative/Desert Fish Habitat Partnership (Retrospective)
• White River, VT – Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture (Retrospective)
• Wildcat Creek, CA – California Fish Passage Forum
• Williamsburg off-channel wetland, OH – Reservoir Fish Habitat Partnership

For more information and descriptions of the “Waters to Watch” list for 2022 as well as a project map point, Visit: https://www.fishhabitat.org/waters-to-watch/

Visit the “Waters to Watch” page on our website to view our archived projects: https://www.fishhabitat.org/waters-to-watch/archive.

Through project tracking, National Fish Habitat Partnership projects have reconnected 4,711 miles of rivers and streams, restored/rehabilitated 1,124 miles of rivers and streams, protected 11 miles of streams and rivers, protected 13,261 acres of habitat, and restored/rehabilitated 43,170 acres of river, lake, riparian, upland, estuary, and wetland habitat from 2006-2021.

About the National Fish Habitat Partnership:
Since 2006, the National Fish Habitat Partnership has supported 1,299 projects benefiting fish habitat in all 50 states. The National Fish Habitat Partnership works to conserve fish habitat nationwide, leveraging federal, state, tribal, and private funding resources to achieve the greatest impact on fish populations through priority conservation projects of 20 regionally-based Fish Habitat Partnerships.

Learn more:
https://fishhabitat.org
https://facebook.com/NFHAP
https://twitter.com/fishhabitat