Southeastern Association Of Fish And Wildlife Agencies

Southeastern Association Of Fish And Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) is a tax-exempt non-profit corporate entity registered in SAM.gov since June 2004, headquartered in Aiken, South Carolina. SEAFWA provides comprehensive fish and wildlife conservation services to the federal government through federal grant awards, primarily supporting aquatic habitat protection, species conservation, and recreational hunting and fishing initiatives across the southeastern United States. As a coordinating body for state fish and wildlife agencies in the Southeast, SEAFWA facilitates collaborative conservation efforts among federal, state, and non-governmental partners to advance fish and wildlife management objectives.

Through its federal grant portfolio, SEAFWA has demonstrated extensive expertise in aquatic connectivity and habitat restoration, serving as the operational hub for the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP), which maintains the most comprehensive regional database of aquatic barriers including dams and culverts affecting fish passage. The organization has received cooperative agreements and project grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (including Regions 3, 4, 6, and 9) and the U.S. Geological Survey totaling over $2.3 million across multiple initiatives. Key service areas include maintaining and expanding the SARP online barrier inventory and prioritization tool, conducting on-the-ground conservation projects targeting federally listed species such as freshwater mussels and rare fish species, implementing habitat restoration best management practices on agricultural and private lands, and facilitating information sharing among partners. SEAFWA has also executed significant projects in recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and shooters through social media marketing campaigns and educational outreach, public perception research regarding fish and wildlife agencies, and support for youth angler education. The organization works under federal programs including the National Fish Habitat Partnership (CFDA 15.686), Multistate Conservation Grant Program (CFDA 15.628), Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance (CFDA 15.608), and U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection (CFDA 15.808). Notable sub-grant partners include the National Fish And Wildlife Foundation, the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, the Department of Planning & Natural Resources, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, with sub-recipients supporting specialized work such as aquatic connectivity team coordination, culvert assessment in tidal systems, and freshwater species conservation needs assessment.