Whitewater to Bluewater

Since 2012, with funding from a recently-awarded Multi-state Conservation Grant, three fish habitat partnerships (FHPs)--Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP), the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) and the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture (EBTJV)-- have been working together on three objectives: 1) To advance each partnership's habitat assessments by collecting, developing, and sharing fish habitat information and data; 2) To coordinate outreach activities to strengthen and expand the base of conservation delivery partners; and 3) To implement each of the individual FHP's strategic plans.

According to Scott Robinson, SARP's former Coordinator, "The award of this grant and the opportunity to collaborate more closely with other FHPs in the region is exciting. These three partnerships represent a large portion of the southern and eastern United States. This grant will provide funds we need to maximize the strength and efficiencies of the National Fish Habitat effort by sharing assessment and restoration techniques and data and collectively improving our communications efforts."

This project is significant in that 27 states (ME, VT, NH, MA, CT, RI, NY, NJ, PA, OH, DE, WV, MD, VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, AR, TN, KY, TX, OK, and MO), and their respective fish and wildlife agencies, will benefit from the enhanced coordination and assessment capabilities that are fostered and developed. To learn more, contact Lisa Havel, Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership Coordinator, at lhavel@asmfc.org.