The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced the selection of Patricia Fisher to head the Federal Duck Stamp Office. A Service employee for nearly 17 years, Mrs. Fisher will be responsible for overseeing the annual Federal Duck Stamp Contest, issuing the Federal Duck Stamp and coordinating the Junior Duck Stamp program. “I am delighted to have a person with this breadth of experience and passion for the Duck Stamp Program as the new chief for this high profile office,” said Acting Service Director Matt Hogan. “These are exciting times for the program as we seek to broaden its appeal to a new generation of stamp enthusiasts and employ new technologies to better serve our traditional customers, while working to maintain and enhance its tradition and delivery of conservation.” Prior to accepting this position, Fisher was member of the Service’s public affairs office. For six years, she represented the Federal Duck Stamp and Migratory Birds programs and edited the Service’s newsletter, The Fish and Wildlife News. In 1991, she was presented a special award for her work on behalf of the Duck Stamp program by Jeanette Cantrell Rudy, noted Tennessee duck stamp collector and advocate. In addition, Fisher has been the press officer for the Service’s Fisheries, Federal Assistance, International Affairs and Law Enforcement divisions. As the press secretary for the United States delegation to the bi-annual meeting of the parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, she was responsible for conveying U.S. positions to worldwide media representatives. Also, Fisher was the only “civilian” media officer recruited to help write a media outreach curriculum for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. Throughout the years, she has been recognized for organizing effective outreach efforts, special events, and press conferences for many complicated international environmental issues such as African and Asian elephant conservation, panda conservation, the illegal trade in tigers and rhinos, and most recently, beluga sturgeon conservation. She also was part of the team that developed the Service’s “Suitcase for Survival” program, designed to teach school children about conservation. The Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp – commonly known as the duck stamp – was created with the passage of the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act. Under this Act, all waterfowl hunters 16 years of age and older must annually purchase and carry a Federal Duck Stamp. Stamp collectors and nonhunting conservationists purchase the stamp as well. Proceeds from the sale of stamps go to purchase and conserve migratory bird habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since the passage of the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act, approximately $700 million has been raised and over 5 million acres of critical bird habitat has been conserved. Approximately 98¢ of every duck stamp dollar is used to purchase bird habitat, which makes the Federal Duck Stamp program on of the most successful conservation programs ever initiated. Fisher hails from a family of duck stamp collectors and enjoys spending time outdoors, boating and fishing and visiting Refuges with her 16 year old twins and husband David, who used to be the Duck Stamp Contest official.