Tribal offices responsible for the management of fish and wildlife resources include EBCI Fisheries and Wildlife Management and EBCI Natural Resources Enforcement. Legal guidelines relating to fisheries and wildlife conservation include Tribal hunting, fishing, and water quality protection ordinances, BIA Forest Management Plan regulations, and the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973.
Cherokee lands and waters support diverse communities of fish, mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates. This biological diversity is intricately tied to Cherokee culture with thousands of species playing critical roles in subsistence, arts, medicine, ceremonies, and stories. Animals continue to play a critical role in Cherokee identity with hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing traditions remaining strong.
Sustaining fish and wildlife populations and their interrelationships with the environment in a changing world is an integral part of maintaining Cherokee livelihood. Major threats to fish and wildlife include habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species and disease, pollution, over-exploitation, and climate change. Meeting these modern challenges through the implementation of strategic conservation planning initiatives will be critical for maintaining both ecologically and culturally significant fish and wildlife populations and habitats into the future.
