ABOUT NATIVE FISH COALITION
Native Fish Coalition (NFC) was founded in 2017. We are a nonpartisan, apolitical, grassroots, mostly donor-funded, and primarily volunteer, 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to the conservation, preservation, and restoration of wild native fish. While most of our board and advisory council members are avid anglers, many are not, and some do not fish at all.
NFC’s focus is not salmonid specific. Nor are we limited to so-called “gamefish,” as we recognize the important role non-game fish play in the ecosystem. We are however often focused on gamefish, and the reason is twofold: Native gamefish are often the species that are most threatened, and what is good for them is good for all native fish.
It is the belief of NFC that no stream, river, pond or lake is truly healthy or “restored” until its full complement of native species is intact and it is devoid of nonnative species and hatchery-raised fish. While clean water and healthy riparian areas are a necessary foundation for establishing healthy aquatic ecosystems, they are not an absolute indicator of overall ecological health.
NFC recognizes that the complete restoration of native species assemblages and the removal of nonnative fish is often not attainable. It is however a starting point. While our mission is absolute, our execution of that mission is pragmatic and based on reality and likelihood of success as much as ideology.