Fish and Wildlife Service

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency dedicated to fish and wildlife conservation. The Service's history spans nearly 140 years, dating from the establishment of its predecessor agency, the Bureau of Fisheries, in 1871. First created as an independent agency, the Bureau of Fisheries was later placed in the Department of Commerce. A second predecessor agency, the Bureau of Biological Survey, was established in 1885 in the Department of Agriculture. In 1939, the two Bureaus and their functions were transferred to the Department of the Interior. In 1940, they were consolidated into one agency and redesignated the Fish and Wildlife Service by Reorganization Plan III (5 U. S. C. app. ).