The Canadian Wildlife Service or CWS (), is a Branch of the Department of the Environment (Environment and Climate Change Canada), a department of the Government of Canada. November 1, 2012 marked the 65th anniversary of the founding of Service (originally known as the Dominion Wildlife Service). The Canadian Wildlife Service has been Canada's national wildlife agency since 1947. Core responsibilities The core responsibility of the Canadian Wildlife Service are the protection and management of migratory birds, species at risk, and their nationally important habitats. Functions of the Canadian Wildlife Service include scientific, regulatory, property management, policy, and financial support work. Scientific monitoring of migratory bird and species at risk population sizes and distribution, wetlands and critical habitats occurs throughout Canada. Biologists employed by the Canadian Wildlife Service also review environmental assessments, and review and issue permits under the Migratory Bird Regulations, Migratory Bird Sanctuary Regulations, Wildlife Area Regulations, and Species at Risk Act. Prior to 2006 the Canadian Wildlife Service was also home to wildlife research and enforcement staff. Wildlife research is now a part of the Science and Technology Branch, and Enforcement is now a separate Branch. Wildlife research is predominantly waterfowl and seabird population ecology and toxicology, with a few scientists addressing reptiles, polar bears, and caribou. Enforcement perform compliance promotion, patrols, and investigations under powers from the Migratory Birds Convention Act, Canada Wildlife Act, Species at Risk Act, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, and Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act. Wildlife management in Canada is constitutionally a shared responsibility among the federal and provincial / territorial and Indigenous governments. Canadian Wildlife Service works closely with these governments on a wide variety of wildlife issues. CWS engages in cooperative management projects with a number of international and domestic non government agencies and funds a significant number of management and research or monitoring initiatives. Canadian Wildlife Service in 2017 had approximately 550 staff, with offices in all Canadian provinces and territories except Prince Edward Island. The organization has a regional structure, with a Pacific Region (British Columbia), Northern Region (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Prairie Region (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba), Ontario Region, Quebec Region, and Atlantic Region (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador). Headquarters in Ottawa/Gatineau has the largest number of staff. Wildlife Areas and Bird Sanctuaries Canadian Wildlife Service also manages 54 National Wildlife Areas