United States Fish and Wildlife
Statewide, Michigan
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists one U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Upper Peninsula talkgroup (FWSUP1, 7190) as encrypted on MPSCS, while its other Upper Peninsula, Lower Peninsula and Ludington Biological Station talkgroups remain in the clear.
Encryption Details
What This Means
A defined subset of this agency's channels is encrypted. The rest of the system continues to operate in the clear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is United States Fish and Wildlife radio encrypted?
Yes — United States Fish and Wildlife's radio system runs on P25 AES-256 encryption. A defined subset of this agency's channels is encrypted. The rest of the system continues to operate in the clear.
Can I listen to United States Fish and Wildlife on a police scanner?
Partially. United States Fish and Wildlife encrypts specific talkgroups rather than the whole system, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did United States Fish and Wildlife encrypt their radio?
Departments typically point to officer safety and operational security. Neither claim tends to come with evidence specific to Statewide County; what's verifiable is what's lost — journalists can't monitor other agency activity in real time, and coordination with agencies that stay unencrypted gets harder.
Can Statewide County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes, and some departments already have. Because encryption here is a choice rather than a technical necessity, the path back runs through the same people who chose it: budget hearings, records requests, and residents who keep asking in public.
What can I do about United States Fish and Wildlife encryption?
Contact the officials who oversee United States Fish and Wildlife's budget directly and ask why full encryption was chosen over partial alternatives. Pair that with a FOIA request for recordings and policy records, and look for an existing coalition in Statewide County, or start one, since agencies respond differently to organized, sustained pressure than to individual complaints.