50 



focus of the Service in its coastal efforts. In fact, 

 approximately 50 percent of the Service's fisheries activities 

 are related to coastal fisheries and their habitats. The Service 

 has conducted or evaluated population estimates and modeling, 

 tagging, propagation, and habitat activities on a variety of 

 marine species including, red drum, spotted seatrout and Pacific 

 halibut. Approximately two-thirds of all Section 404 permits 

 reviewed by the Service pertain to coastal resource and habitat 

 issues. Approximately 40% of the Service's National Wildlife 

 Refuges (Refuges) are coastal, including about 60 Refuges located 

 along the Atlantic coast that total approximately 800,000 acres. 

 The focus of the Service's Bay Estuary Program is to develop and. 

 implement ecosystem-based policies and programs that protect and 

 enhance coastal living resources. 



Under the Anadromous Fish Conservation Act and the Federal Power 

 Act, the Department of the Interior has authority for involvement 

 with anadromous species. Presently, the Commission has 3 Plans, 

 representing 6 species (Atlantic sturgeon, striped bass, American 

 shad, alewife, hickory shad and blueback herring) that provide 

 for the management of anadromous fish. Our Atlantic coastal 

 Regional offices actively participate in implementation of these 

 Plans and have been especially involved in the restoration of 

 American shad and river herring populations in the Merrimack, 

 Connecticut, Delaware, and Susquehanna Rivers. The Service has 

 also strongly supported the Chesapeake Bay striped bass 



