The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is an agency within the Department of ______, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is an agency within the Department of ______.

• A. Interior, Agriculture
• B. Interior, Commerce
• C. Agriculture, Health and Human Services
• D. Agriculture, Commerce

Answer: (B)

Understanding where these agencies sit helps you connect their missions to the right department. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service focuses on wildlife conservation, habitat protection, and managing refuges and public lands—responsibilities that align with the Department of the Interior, which oversees natural resources and public lands. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration handles weather, oceans, and fisheries data to support economic activity and informed decision-making for business and industry, a natural fit under the Department of Commerce.

The other department pairings don’t align with their primary roles: wildlife protection under Agriculture would misplace its focus on farming policy, and NOAA wouldn’t belong under Health and Human Services or Agriculture since its core mission centers on climate, weather, and oceanic information that supports commerce.