News Release - 4/25/2008

First Annual National Fish Habitat Awards Honor Leaders in Qquatic Resource Conservation

(Washington, DC) – A group of the nation’s leading authorities on aquatic conservation, the National Fish Habitat Board, today honored three exceptional organizations and an individual champion in aquatic resource conservation at the First Annual National Fish Habitat Awards ceremony at the National Casting Call hosted by the American Fly Fishing Trade Association.

From nominations submitted by the hundreds of organizations that comprise the National Fish Habitat Partners Coalition, the awardees demonstrate extraordinary commitment to fish habitat conservation, science and education. They are leading by example to help resolve the nation’s most significant fisheries problems.

Outreach and Education Award: Chesapeake Bay Foundation

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) has long recognized the importance of educating the public about the relationships between habitat, healthy fisheries and healthy communities. The CBF's "Oyster Trail Project" is a permanent, self-guided, interpretive trail to educate students and visitors about oyster ecology, protection and restoration with suggestions on how they can help save oysters in the Bay. The trail is just one of the many projects and programs the CBF has created to galvanize community support for aquatic habitat conservation and increase the adoption of more sustainable behaviors by those who live within the Bay's watershed—both of which support the National Fish Habitat Action Plan’s commitment to outreach and locally driven conservation.

Award Contact:
Laura Carrier
Development Officer of Public Grants Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Inc.
lcarrier@cbf.org
410-268-8816

Scientific Achievement Award: The Fish and Aquatic Ecology Unit of the U.S. Forest Service (Co-winner)

Over the past two years, the Fish and Aquatic Ecology Unit (FAEU) of the U.S. Forest Service has fostered more than 100 internal and external partnerships and conducted projects nationwide to promote science-based protection, restoration and enhancement of key fish habitats. The FAEU provided its expertise on large-scale assessments for the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture and on cutthroat trout subspecies through the Western Native Trout Initiative. It developed and tested standardized interagency fish habitat survey protocols for the Pacific Northwest and took the lead in performing cutting-edge restoration on Smith Creek in Virginia. The FAEU also developed aquatic organism passage coarse filters enabling biologists to quickly screen thousands of culverts for aquatic organism passage. These scientific achievements have proven invaluable for prioritizing and implementing effective fish habitat management.

Award Contact:
Mark Hudy
National Aquatic Ecologist, FAEU Leader
mhudy@fs.fed.us or hudymx@csm.jmu.edu
540-568-2704

Scientific Achievement Award: Trout Unlimited (Co-winner)

A world-renowned fisheries conservation organization, Trout Unlimited (TU) has worked closely with state and federal management agencies over the last 10 years to accomplish mutually favorable, on-the-ground actions that directly benefit aquatic resources. In particular, TU developed the Conservation Success Index (CSI), which will be used by regional Fish Habitat Partnerships, including the Western Native Trout Initiative, Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture and other partners to address ongoing resource management issues such as grazing, mining, energy development and recreation uses. TU also has worked closely with BLM to develop aquatic conservation strategies that will be consistent with the Bureau’s multiple use mission established under the Federal Lands Policy and Management Act. This year, TU will team with BLM to expand the CSI to all BLM lands, allowing assessment of coldwater and warm water habitat watersheds and enabling managers to make more informed decisions concerning land management.

Award Contact:
Joe McGurrin
Trout Unlimited
jmcgurrin@tu.org
410-490-0570

Exceptional Vision Award: Stephen G. Perry

Stephen Perry, from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, sees beyond the borders of his home state when it comes to fish habitat conservation. To protect and restore habitat for brook trout throughout the Appalachian range, Perry was instrumental in organizing a meeting between public and private interests to forge a regional program, resulting in the formation of the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture (EBTJV). The early success of the EBTJV was significantly related to a multi-state conservation grant on which Perry served as the co-principal investigator. The grant provided resources for several key projects including a comprehensive range-wide assessment and development of an interactive database. The assessment led to several publications providing the basis for a range-wide strategy and planning to restore, protect and enhance brook trout habitat. As member of the EBTJV Steering Committee and more recently as its Chair, Perry helped launch the National Fish Habitat Initiative and subsequent Action Plan (NFHAP). Through his leadership, the EBTJV became one of the first of five Fish Habitat Partnerships under the NFHAP.

Award Contact:
Stephen Perry
Chair - New Hampshire Fish & Game Dept.
Stephen.Perry@wildlife.nh.gov
(603) 271-1745

About the National Fish Habitat Action Plan
The National Fish Habitat Action Plan is the most comprehensive effort ever attempted to treat the causes of aquatic habitat decline and fix the nation’s most pressing fisheries problems. The Action Plan is a science-based investment strategy to conserve waterways and make conservation dollars stretch farther by combining federal and privately raised funds to build regional partnerships. For more information, visit www.fishhabitat.org.

About the National Casting Call
Hosted by the American Fly Fishing Trade Association, the National Casting Call is an annual two-day event providing a unique opportunity for families, youth, the fly fishing industry and their partners to spend time on the water experiencing first-hand the benefits of collaboration in fisheries management. For more information, visit www.nationalcastingcall.org.