The Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) is a natural resources management support service organization for 20 treaty Indian tribes in western Washington. Headquartered in Olympia, the NWIFC employs approximately 65 people with satellite offices in Burlington and Forks.

NWIFC member tribes are: Lummi, Nooksack, Swinomish, Upper Skagit, Sauk-Suiattle, Stillaguamish, Tulalip, Muckleshoot, Puyallup, Nisqually, Squaxin Island, Skokomish, Suquamish, Port Gamble S’Klallam, Jamestown S’Klallam, Lower Elwha Klallam, Makah, Quileute, Quinault, and Hoh.

The NWIFC was created following the 1974 U.S. v. Washington ruling (Boldt Decision) that re-affirmed the tribes’ treaty-reserved fishing rights. The ruling recognized them as natural resources co-managers with the State of Washington with an equal share of the harvestable number of salmon returning annually.

Read more on our About Us page.

  • FLUPSY Technician – Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe

    June 8, 2021

    This full-time position is responsible for the maintenance of the equipment and systems, as well as cleaning, feeding, harvesting, and inventorying. Apply online at: https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs/ViewJobDetails?job=14046&clientkey=532C2A7836A5B602326FA62596988547

  • Fisheries Biologist III – Lummi Nation

    June 8, 2021

    Download Announcement This is a grant-funded professional-level position working in the Harvest Management Division of the Lummi Natural Resources Department (LNR). Under limited supervision from the Fisheries Harvest Manager, and with input from senior-level staff, the Fisheries Biologist III will be responsible for coordinating and leading LNR’s response to the serious environmental threat posed by […]

  • NPCLE Lead Entity Coordinator (part-time)

    June 8, 2021

    Download Announcement Facilitates development of salmon habitat restoration planning for North Pacific Coast Lead Entity (NPCLE) in Water Resource Inventory Area 20 (WRIA 20).

RSS News from nwtreatytribes.org

  • Water Quality Gains Undermined by Outdated Wastewater Facilities
    Being Frank is a column written by the chairperson of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. As a statement from the NWIFC chairperson, the column represents the natural resources management interests and concerns of the treaty Indian tribes in western Washington. We’ve seen some real progress over the past few years in efforts to prevent human […]
  • With too few adult fish to broodstock, hatcheries raise chinook in captivity
    The Stillaguamish Tribe’s Brenner Creek Hatchery is home to several generations of chinook salmon. The chinook are part of a captive broodstock program the tribe started in 2010 to help recover the declining Stillaguamish River fall chinook run. Too few adult fish were returning to the river for the tribe to operate a conventional hatchery […]
  • What are the true costs of the Skagit River hydroelectric dams?
    Being Frank is a column written by the chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. As a statement from the NWIFC chair, the column represents the natural resources management interests and concerns of the treaty Indian tribes in western Washington. It is time for Seattle City Light to address the damage its three hydroelectric dams […]