Urban Fishing and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:

New Opportunities in Changing Times

Author: Bennie Williams

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) role in urban fishing has significantly evolved since the 1984 article by Robert A. Jantzen, The Role of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Urban Fishing, to adapt to changing demographics and other influences on angling participation. Historically, support of urban fishing by the Service has been a result of the unique partnership between the Service and State fish and wildlife agencies, many of which channel Sport Fish Restoration Program funds toward projects that support urban fisheries. More recently, Executive Order 12962, in 1995 and the Sport Fishing and Boating Act of 1998 have helped delineate the Service’s role in both increasing fishing opportunities within the U.S. and managing the Nation’s aquatic resources. In 2007, the Service is placing greater emphasis on monitoring, assessing and restoring fish habitat through the utilization of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan and is continuing to increase recreational fishing opportunities on Service lands to cultivate stewardship of our nation’s fishery resources. Furthermore, the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service will be supporting the Secretary of Interior’s new priority of developing methods to alleviate Nature Deficit Disorder or (NDD) in America’s youth. The Service and its partners will continue to provide urban youth with opportunities to reconnect with nature by supporting outdoor activities such as urban fishing.