Mission
The Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership is
a national partnership established to promote
and facilitate the conservation of habitat for
fish and other aquatic species in reservoir
systems
We address our mission through
collaborative actions that contribute to:
• The ecological health and
function of reservoirs and their
associated waters and
watersheds
• The restoration, protection &
enhancement of fish and other
aquatic species and
communities
• The sustainability and
enhancement of reservoir
fisheries
• Public awareness of
conservation issues &
challenges facing reservoir &
associated waters
Our conservation strategy is built on the
foundation of five goals :
• Protect, restore and enhance fish habitat in reservoir
systems to support productive fisheries and healthy
aquatic ecosystems
Our conservation strategy is built on the
foundation of five goals :
• Protect, restore and enhance fish habitat in reservoir
systems to support productive fisheries and healthy
aquatic ecosystems
• Manage reservoir systems to provide, protect and
enrich quality of life for the American people
Our conservation strategy is built on the
foundation of five goals :
• Protect, restore and enhance fish habitat in reservoir
systems to support productive fisheries and healthy
aquatic ecosystems
• Manage reservoir systems to provide, protect and enrich
quality of life for the American people
• Develop and foster partnerships that implement
landscape-scale approaches to the conservation of
fish habitat in reservoir systems
Our conservation strategy is built on the
foundation of five goals :
• Protect, restore and enhance fish habitat in reservoir
systems to support productive fisheries and healthy
aquatic ecosystems
• Manage reservoir systems to provide, protect and enrich
quality of life for the American people
• Develop and foster partnerships that implement
landscape-scale approaches to the conservation of fish
habitat in reservoir systems
• Develop and sustain institutional arrangements and
sources of funding to support the long-term
conservation of fish habitat in reservoir systems
Our conservation strategy is built on the
foundation of five goals :
• Protect, restore and enhance fish habitat in reservoir
systems to support productive fisheries and healthy
aquatic ecosystems
• Manage reservoir systems to provide, protect and enrich
quality of life for the American people
• Develop and foster partnerships that implement
landscape-scale approaches to the conservation of fish
habitat in reservoir systems
• Develop and sustain institutional arrangements and
sources of funding to support the long-term conservation
of fish habitat in reservoir systems
• Support education and outreach initiatives that
advance public awareness and understanding of the
value of healthy reservoir systems
“A reservoir is a manmade body of water 250 acres
or larger at normal operating pool formed by the
impoundment of waters that are both accessible to
the public and that support, or have the potential to
support, a sport fishery .”
GOVERNANCE MODEL
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
SCIENCE AND DATA
COMMITTEE
OUTREACH &
COMMUNICATION
COMMITTEE
STAFF
SE REGIONAL
WORKGROUP
MW REGIONAL
WORKGROUP
W REGIONAL
WORKGROUP
“FRIENDS OF RESERVOIRS”
(Partners; Foundation)
NE REGIONAL
WORKGROUP
Executive Committee:
• Four state agency members
– Rep from each of 4 AFWA Regions
• Four Federal members
– USFWS; BOR; BLM; USACE
• Four NGO representatives
– AFS; NALMS;
• Three Industry representatives
– BASS; Bass Pro Shops; ASA
• One to two Tribal representatives
FRIENDS OF RESERVOIRS:
• Foundation (501c3): provide sustainable
funding for projects-established with legal
and financial assistance from Bass Pro
Shops
• Tiered membership
– Partnership for Fish Friendly Waters
• Watershed based
– Chapters
• Local groups interested in a given reservoir
– Group Affiliate
– Individual Affiliate
NFHP Conservation Stragegies-2015
Achieve measurable habitat conservation results
through strategic actions of Fish Habitat
Partnerships that improve ecological condition,
restore natural processes, or prevent the decline
of intact and healthy systems leading to better fish
habitat conditions and increased fishing
opportunities.
ASSESSMENT/PROJECTS
SDAFS RESERVOIR COMMITTEE;
JAN 09
•RC developed series of targets to
restore reservoir fisheries habitat
for SARP
•Formed basis for objectives
under Goal 1 of Strategic Plan
•Discuss synthesis of
efforts/minimize duplication of
effort
•Presented/edited list of reservoir
metrics
•Suggested review of Miranda’s
Index of Habitat Impairment for
Reservoirs
Background
 Fish Habitat Degradation in U.S. Reservoirs, Fisheries
(Miranda et al. 2010)
 An index of reservoir habitat impairment, Environmental
Monitoring & Assessment (Miranda and Hunt)
Eutrophication
Structural
habitat
Siltation
Water regime
74%
Aquatic plants
Reservoirs in
NHD database
8 test states used by SDC
Reservoir Classification –
Databases
• USACE – National Inventory of Dams (NID)
~ 82,000 dams
• USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)
• USGS – National Hydrography Dataset (NHD)
• EPA – Enhanced Riverreach File (E2RF1)
• Databases created by Greg Schwarz (USGS) and by
Kirk Rodgers
• SPARROW
Workshop at the SDAFS Meeting (2010) discuss approach
with NFHP Science & Data Committee (Whelan/Esselman)
52 habitat variables
31 fish variables
Water
regime
Water
quality
9
16
Habitat
availability
Degradation
processes
20
Fish
community
7
11
20
Recreational
fishery
Description of Regions
Water regime
Land use and
siltation
In-reservoir habitat
Next Steps
• Distribute results via web
– Post by:
• Reservoir
• State
• Region
• Publish results
– Draft soon to be submitted to TAFS
SDAFS Feb 27, 2010
Watershed Approach
• Current project funding not adequate for
watershed-based projects
• Other FHP’s making contacts with
NRCS/landowners
• Environmental grants available only go to
non-profits (FOR)
• Use FOR to apply for water-quality based
grants; use to add value to watershed
projects from other FHP’s
Establish a consensus set of national
conservation strategies as a framework to guide
future actions and investment by the Fish Habitat
Partnerships by 2013.
• RFHP Coordinator serving on the Habitat
Conservation Committee
Broaden the community of support for fish habitat
conservation by increasing fishing opportunities,
fostering the participation of local communities –
especially young people – in conservation
activities, and raising public awareness of the
role healthy fish habitats play in the quality of life
and economic well-being of local communities.
• This is what Friends of Reservoirs is all about
• Build local capacity for habitat work and
strengthen relation between anglers and
management agencies
Friends of Reservoirs
Chapters
• Seven Coves Bass Club-TX (renewed)
• Albuquerque Hawg Hunters-NM (renewed)
• Salt City Bassmasters-NY (lapsed)
• Lake Fork Sportsman’s Association-TX
PFFW
Group Affiliates
• B.A.S.S.
• Rocky Mountain Anglers
• Oregon B.A.S.S. Federation Nation
• New Mexico B.A.S.S. Federation Nation
• Texas Black Bass Unlimited
Individual Affiliates
• 7 (6 RFHP Board members)
Potential FOR Members
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NC B.A.S.S. Federation Nation
SC B.A.S.S. Federation Nation
CA B.A.S.S. Federation Nation
TX B.A.S.S. Federation Nation
TX Association of Bass Clubs
Association of Beaver Lake Environmentalists (ABLE)-AR
Tioga County Bass Anglers-PA
Canyon Bass Club-TX
Lake Buchanan Conservation Corp. -TX
Sun City Hunting and Fishing Club-TX
San Antonio Metropolitan League of Bass Clubs-TX
Lake Houston Sports and Recreation Foundation-TX
Pineywoods Chapter of Master Naturalists-TX
Greater Lake Palestine Council-TX
2013 MSCG aimed at outreach
• Expand FOR membership
• Secure non-governmental funding for RFHP
• Corporate sponsorship
• Displays at trade shows (ICAST, Bassmaster
Classic)
• Convey RFHP/NFHP conservation message
• Solicit funding for projects
Fill gaps in the National Fish Habitat Assessment
and its associated database to empower strategic
conservation action supported by broadly
available scientific information, and integrate
socio-economic data in the analysis to improve
people’s lives in a manner consistent with fish
habitat conservation goals.
• 2013 MSCG to compile/disseminate BMP for
reservoir habitat restoration projects
• Develop website with BMP’s based on
regions defined by assessment and for
major regional impairments
Communicate the conservation outcomes
produced collectively by Fish Habitat
Partnerships as well as new opportunities and
voluntary approaches for conserving fish habitat
to the public and conservation partners.
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websites
www.reservoirpartnership.org
www.waterhabitatlife.org
Facebook page (Friends of Reservoirs)
Quarterly newsletter
Brochures
Project fact sheets
Large media event-Conservation oriented