Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)

National Effort to Conserve Aquatic Habitats
Moves Forward

Washington DC —Twenty of the nation’s most prominent conservation leaders have been selected to guide a bold new initiative designed to reverse declines in the quality and quantity of our nation’s fish habitats. Pat Murray, vice president and director of conservation for Coastal Conservation Association, was one of those selected to help lead the effort.

“I am honored to be a part of this visionary and important effort,” said Murray. “The creation of the board for the National Fish Habitat Plan marks an important step forward for the future of conservation. Without healthy habitat you cannot have healthy fisheries.”

The National Fish Habitat Action Plan, developed over the past two years and supported by more than 450 diverse partner organizations across the country, sets forth actions to protect, restore, and enhance fish habitats across the country. It will support national and local grassroots-driven efforts to bring diverse groups together to identify root causes of local habitat declines, identify and implement strategic corrective actions, and measure and communicate progress. It is targeted toward fisheries protection, restoration and enhancement in key watersheds and is based on use of the best scientific expertise on fisheries and habitat management.

The new board will include influential conservation leaders from the public and private sectors, including Dale Hall, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Charles Gauvin, president of Trout Unlimited, Jeff Trandahl, executive director of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; John Cooper, president of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and William Hogarth, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries at NOAA.

“Naming the National Board marks another monumental occasion for the National Fish Habitat Action Plan,” says Hogarth. “This is a historic day for the organizations dedicated to making sure we have healthy fish and other aquatic creatures for years to come.”

The Action Plan calls for sustainable actions and accountability, recognizing the need for long-term investments and real results. To date, the hundreds of partners signed on in support of the Action Plan include a range of organizations interested in the health of the Nation’s fisheries, including small local watershed groups and fishing clubs, and international conservation organizations, federal agencies, angling industries and academia.

For more information about the National Fish Habitat Action Plan, visit www.fishhabitat.org.

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