Research
Technical Assistance
Graduate Education
Cooperative Research Units
Established in 1935 at Iowa State University, our mission is our hallmark: work with University students to develop the conservation workforce, help decision-makers make complex conservation decisions, and to provide technical assistance between natural resource agencies and universities. We support 43 units located in 41 States, at 44 host universities. Our Program Office is in Reston, Virginia.
Research at a Glance
Research at a Glance
We have more than 1,000 research projects under way and generate 250-300 scientific publications annually.
How our Program Works
How our Program Works
Fire, wildlife disease, human dimensions, threatened and endangered species.
Where's our Science?
Where's our Science?
We support 43 units in 41 states, at 44 host universities, with a Program office at USGS National Center.
News
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Predicting Wildlife and Plant Responses to Solar Energy Development in the Desert Southwest
Predicting Wildlife and Plant Responses to Solar Energy Development in the Desert Southwest
Publications
The Center for the Advancement of Population Assessment Methodology (CAPAM): A perspective on the first 10 years
The Center for the Advancement of Population Assessment Methodology (CAPAM) was established in 2013, envisioned as an institute that could conduct, organize, and communicate stock assessment research with the aim of benefiting fisheries assessment efforts internationally. CAPAM’s activities have focused on its workshop series and consequent special issues in Fisheries Research. The...
Endemic and invasive species: A history of distributional trends in the fish fauna of the lower New River drainage
Invasive species are often central to conservation efforts, particularly when concerns involve potential impacts on rare, endemic native species. The lower New River drainage of the eastern United States is a watershed that warrants conservation assessment, as the system is naturally depauperate of native fish species and it is nearly saturated with non-native fish species: there are 31...
Local perceptions of marine conservation aquaculture for the restoration of native Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in Downeast, Maine
The entities responsible for the management of the endangered Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) have partnered with a commercial aquaculture company to apply a novel conservation aquaculture program. This effort marks a major shift in management and has garnered mixed public reactions. Recent expansion of aquaculture in Maine has been a point of...
Science
USGS at the 2025 Philadelphia Flower Show
USGS returns to the Philadelphia Flower Show in 2025 with an exhibit themed around bees, birds and blooms. We hope to see you in March!
Tribal Engagement
In the Department of Interior’s initiative, Vision for the Future, is an objective to support Tribal Nations. U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit scientists, staff, and students support Tribal Nations through collaborative research, technical assistance, and graduate student training. Units are collaborating with First Nations to solve natural resource problems...
Sustaining Horseshoe Crabs and Supporting Migratory Shorebirds in the Delaware Bay
USGS is developing predictive models to inform sustainable harvest of horseshoe crabs ( Limulus polyphemus) in Delaware Bay to help managers make decisions to support needs of people and shorebirds including rufa red knot ( Calidris canutus rufa).
