This agreement is a continuation of the ongoing collaboration between USFWS, pacific states marinefisheries commission (psmfc) and the california fish passage forum (forum)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Region 8, awarded $305,717 to the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) effective July 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027, under the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP, CFDA 15.686) program. This continuation cooperative agreement provides funding for PSMFC to operate and coordinate the California Fish Passage Forum, including facilitating regular forum meetings, providing administrative support, and distributing project-specific funding to forum partners and initiatives.

The agreement supports collaborative fish habitat conservation efforts aligned with Department of the Interior strategic objectives, specifically advancing state, tribal, and local government partnerships while restoring salmon spawning and rearing habitat access in California. Through its coordination and support activities, PSMFC serves as the operational intermediary for the California Fish Passage Forum, enabling multi-stakeholder collaboration on fish passage barrier removal, habitat restoration, and related aquatic ecosystem management priorities across the state.

Under this agreement, aportion of the annually approved forum funding allocation from USFWS under the national fish habitataction plan national fish habitat partnership is provided to psmfc for forum coordination, forumsupport and forum specific projects (as needed).the project objectives are to continue the operation and coordination of the california fish passageforum. This includes facilitating and supporting the forum, organizing and managing regular forummeetings, and distributing funding to forum specific projects. This project will achieve DOI proposed strategic objective 4.2 work collaboratively with states, partners, and governments by supporting partnerships with state, tribal, and local governments and with private landowners. IT will also achieve DOI proposed strategic objective 3.3 restore lands and waters by restoring access to salmon spawning and rearing habitat.