U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the only agency in the Federal government whose primary responsibility is the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the American people.
- Civilian staff, August 2026
- 6,287
- −19.8% in a year
- Rules made final this year
- 27
- 22 proposed
- Organizations that lobbied it
- 283
- 2019 to 2026
Where its power comes from
An agency can act only where a law lets it. These are the laws its rules cite, where its rules live, and the bills that would change it.
Laws it carries out
The U.S. Code sections its rules of the last six years cite as their authority, most cited first, of 15.
- Congressional findings and declaration of policy
- Taking, killing, or possessing migratory birds unlawful
- Declaration of policy
- Authorization of appropriations
- Administration; rules and regulations; availability of lands to State agencies
- Congressional findings and declaration of purposes and policy
- Establishment
- Land acquisition
- Definitions
- Taking and using of the bald and golden eagle for scientific, exhibition, and religious purposes
- National Wildlife Refuge System
- Importation or shipment of injurious mammals, birds, fish (including mollusks and crustacea), amphibia, and reptiles; permits, specimens for museums; regulations
Its rulebook
Where the rules it wrote these six years sit in the Code of Federal Regulations.
Bills that would change it
Bills this Congress that name it, the most recently moved first. A bill that names an agency is not a law.
- HR 9901: To provide that the final rule of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration titled "Rescinding…In committee
- S 1306: A bill to require the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to reissue a final rule removing the gray wolf from the list of…In committee
- HR 840: To provide that the final rule of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service titled "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered…In committee
Track record
What it made final, the cases it brought, and where Congress moved to undo its work.
Latest final rules
The newest rules it made final.
- Marine Mammals; Incidental Take of Polar Bears and Pacific Walruses in the Beaufort Sea and North Slope of AlaskaOct 19
- National Wildlife Refuge System; 2026-2027 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations; CorrectionSep 25
- Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Nine Species Not Warranted for Listing as Endangered or Threatened SpeciesSep 4
- National Wildlife Refuge System; 2026-2027 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing RegulationsSep 1
- Process for Authorizing Seasonal Migratory Game Bird HuntingAug 31
- Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for Florida Keys Mole Skink; CorrectionJul 29
- Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Contiguous U.S. Distinct Population Segment of the Canada Lynx; CorrectionJul 29
- Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Designating Critical HabitatJul 21
Congress moving to overturn its rules
5 disapproval resolutions this Congress under the Congressional Review Act; 1 passed at least one chamber.
- Overturn “Rescinding the Definition of 'Harm' Under the Endangered Species Act”On calendar
- Overturn “Record of Decision for the Barred Owl Management Strategy; Washington, Oregon, and California”On calendar
- A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal…In committee
- Overturn “Barred Owl Management Strategy”In committee
- Overturn “Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for the San Francisco Bay-Delta Distinct Population Segment of the…”Passed first chamber
Who runs it
Its leaders
- Brian NesvikDirector of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Who pays to be heard
- Chamber of Commerce of the U.S.A.$365M on reports naming it
- Nextera Energy, Inc.$51.4M on reports naming it
- National Association of Home Builders$26.7M on reports naming it
- Brian NesvikDirector of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
- Department of the InteriorThe department it sits in
- Chamber of Commerce of the U.S.A.Lobbied it, $365M
- Nextera Energy, Inc.Lobbied it, $51.4M
- National Association of Home BuildersLobbied it, $26.7M
- Space Exploration TechnologiesLobbied it, $14.3M
Its leaders
The people the Senate last confirmed to its offices, one record per office. A confirmation date is not proof someone still serves.
Who tries to sway it
Who names it on federal lobbying reports, 2019 to 2026, and who used to work there. Naming an agency is the filer’s account of where work was aimed, not a record of a meeting.
Who pays to be heard
The biggest spenders on reports that name it. A report names several issues, so each figure is the whole report.
- Chamber of Commerce of the U.S.A.$365M
- Nextera Energy, Inc.$51.4M
- National Association of Home Builders$26.7M
- Space Exploration Technologies$14.3M
- American Farm Bureau Fed$13.4M
- Nature Conservancy$13.2M
- Dominion Energy, Inc.$12.8M
- Occidental Petroleum Corporation$11.5M
- National Alliance of Forest Owners$11.2M
- National Rifle Association of America$10.6M
- American Petroleum Institute$6.1M
- National Cotton Council$5.45M
- World Wildlife Fund, Inc.$4.38M
- National Association of Manufacturers$4.37M
- The Conservation Fund$3.82M
- Avangrid, Inc.$3.46M
- Association of California Water Agencies$3.23M
- Gun Owners of America Inc.$3.12M
- Marathon Petroleum Company LP$3.04M
- Conocophillips$2.79M
Who files the lobbying
The firms on reports that name it, by how many clients they filed for.
- The Ferguson Group, LLC20 clients
- Robertson, Monagle, & Eastaugh LLC14 clients
- Natural Resource Results LLC6 clients
- Ward and Smith, P.A.6 clients
- Preti, Flaherty, Beliveau & Pachios, Chartered, LLP5 clients
- Cassidy & Associates, Inc.5 clients
- Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP5 clients
- Crosswinds Solutions4 clients
- Vitello Consulting3 clients
- Conservation Pathways, LLC3 clients
- Ens Resources, Inc.3 clients
- Poyner Spruill LLP3 clients
- Blank Rome Government Relations3 clients
- Robertson, Monagle & Eastaugh LLC3 clients
- Mark Rey2 clients
- K&L Gates, LLP2 clients
- Michael Powelson2 clients
- Hogan Lovells US LLP2 clients
- Hicks-Ray Associates2 clients
- Ietan Consulting, LLC2 clients
Former staff now lobbying
Lobbyists whose filings list a past job here.
In the news
Reporting that may mention this subject. Possible matches are labeled.
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