CELINA-On Friday, March 27, visitors to Dale Hollow National Fish Hatchery (NFH) may find themselves in the dark, all to raise awareness of the importance of energy conservation and the potential impacts of climate change to our fish and wildlife species. 

As part of the global Earth Hour 2009 campaign, Dale Hollow National Fish NFH will turn off all non-essential lights for one hour, beginning at 12:00 noon.  All visitor facilities will remain open.  Staff will be available to answer questions.

Business, families, schools and more are encouraged to join Dale Hollow NFH in Earth Hour 2009.  Simply turn off your lights and other electronics for one hour.  And then visit  HYPERLINK “http://www.fws.gov/home/climatechange” www.fws.gov/home/climatechange to find out more.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour.  In 2008, the message had grown into a global sustainability movement with 50 million people switching off their lights.  Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Coliseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.  In 2009, Earth Hour has the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights.  Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support during Earth Hour 2009.  The World Wildlife Fund sponsors the campaign.  

National Fish Hatcheries and Fisheries Resource Offices across the Southeastern U.S. will be participating in Earth Hour 2009, with the goal of creating a unique and memorable opportunity to connect with visitors in order to raise awareness of climate change, the impacts it will have to our fish and wildlife species, and how the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is preparing to address the challenge—as well as to collectively conserve energy and reduce global greenhouse emissions. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 547 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 ecological services field stations. 

The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.