The Official Website of the Department of Fish and Game (DFG)

Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game
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Commissioner's Office

Commissioner Griffin and her staff provide the administration, legal services, policy guidance and support necessary to enable the Divisions, the Riverways Program, and the Office of Fishing and Boating Access to carry out their individual responsibilities. The Commissioner's office:

  • Establishes goals, plans and policies for implementing the Department’s stewardship mandate;
  • Provides administrative, human resource, and legal assistance to the Divisions and the Board;
  • Represents the Department in inter-agency, inter-state, and federal relationships and activities;
  • Functions as the Department's liaison with the Legislature and the Executive offices.
black bear
Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife)
The Department, through its Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, is responsible for the conservation, restoration, protection and management of fish and wildlife resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the public. The Division also promotes and provides opportunities for outdoor recreation, including the responsible practice of hunting, trapping, and inland fishing. In addition, DFW manages approximately 160,000 acres of Wildlife Management Areas for conservation and outdoor recreation.
fishing catch displayed
Division of Marine Fisheries
Through the Division of Marine Fisheries, (DMF) the Department manages salt water fishing, including shell fishing and lobstering for recreation and commercial harvesting. With 70 years of experience, the Division oversees policy which promotes sustainability while balancing the requirements of a complex coastal fishing industry.
volunteers trained in stream flow monitoring
Division of Ecological Restoration
Through Division of Ecological Restoration, the Department works to restore and protect the health and integrity of the Commonwealth's rivers, wetlands, and watersheds for the benefit of people, fish, and wildlife.
Office of Fishing and Boating Access
The Office of Fishing and Boating Access (FBA) provides boat and canoe access sites, shore fishing areas, and sport fishing piers at more than 250 locations on coastal waters, great ponds and rivers throughout Massachusetts. The Department, in conjunction with the Public Access Board, acquires property and easements for the purpose of providing access; and, through the FBA, designs, constructs, manages, and improves facilities statewide.

The Commissioner's Office also includes the Habitat Protection Program and the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Program as well as providing Human Resources support.

Surrenden Farms open space acquisition
Land and Habitat Protection Program
From the Berkshires to the Atlantic, the Habitat and Land Protection Program acquires and protects the most important habitat acreage in the Commonwealth The program's mission is to preserve biological diversity and protect important fish and wildlife habitats and their natural communities.
GIS analysis for pheasant stocking program
Geographic Information Systems Program
Our GIS Program collects and analyzes natural resource data via the integration of computer mapping and data collection technology. This technology is then used to identify and protect critical natural resources and the habitats upon which they depend.
Employment Opportunities
The Human Resources Office manages employment opportunities within the Department and its Divisions, and seeks to hire and retain well-qualified staff and provide professional growth opportunities for staff to carry out our important environmental mission.

About Commissioner Griffin

Commissioner Mary Griffin has been an environmental professional for the past eighteen years. She previously served as Acting Deputy Commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Prior to this role, she served as Assistant Commissioner for the Bureau of Resource Protection at MassDEP, which protects inland and coastal water resources, including wetlands.

Commissioner Griffin has served as General Counsel to the Secretary of Environmental Affairs, and Boston Harbor Regional Coordinator at the Office of Coastal Zone Management. As Chief of Legal Services for the state parks system, she managed the agency's land acquisition program. The Commissioner served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Environmental Protection Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. In the private sector, she practiced environmental law at the Boston firm of WilmerHale.

She is a graduate of Davidson College and Cornell Law School. She lives in Hingham, Massachusetts with her two sons, and is an outdoor enthusiast.

Contact Information

Commissioner
Department of Fish & Game
251 Causeway St., Suite 400
Boston, MA 02114
Tel: (617) 626-1500