Aquatic Biodiversity in the U.S. State Wildlife Action Plans

Abstract

We surveyed state wildlife action plan (SWAP) coordinators in all 50 U.S. states; the commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands; the territories of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and America Samoa; and the District of Columbia to document the inclusion of aquatic animal species in the revised SWAPS, completed by state fish and wildlife agencies in 2015–2017. Based on the responses received, we anticipate increased coverage of several major aquatic groups, including fishes, dragonflies and damselflies, mollusks, crayfishes, and corals, in the revised plan documents. A majority of SWAPs will include key aquatic groups such as native freshwater fishes, freshwater snails, freshwater mussels, dragonflies and damselflies, crayfishes, stoneflies, and mayflies. By incorporating these species into the revised plans, state fish and wildlife agencies and their partners will have opportunities to apply dedicated funding from programs such as the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program to the conservation of these species and their habitats.