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 established 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.

  • Fisheries Enhancement Biologist – The Tulalip Tribes

    July 7, 2017

    Download Announcement Makes technical recommendations to the Salmonid Enhancement Scientist and the Fisheries Program Manager regarding the application of enhancement science and salmonid biology to make improvements to the tribe’s hatchery enhancement program.  Applies knowledge of enhancement biology in the preparation of grant applications and technical reports concerning monitoring, research, and operational and facilities improvements […]

  • Natural Resource Climate Change Specialist – Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe

    June 29, 2017

    Download Announcement The Natural Resource Climate Change Specialist will provide technical expertise and coordination support to develop and integrate Tribal priorities regarding climate change. Take lead in developing strategies to adapt to climate change effects on Tribal treaty resources. Work directly with Natural Resource Department personnel and partnering entities to develop and implement the Tribe’s […]

  • Biometrician

    June 16, 2017

    Download Announcement This position compiles and analyzes data for pre- and post-season harvest models, and works with technical committees to run, evaluate, and improve those models.  This position also provides statistical analysis services to Tribal and Commission technical staffs. These services include: conducting statistical analyses; assisting in the development of study designs and sampling strategies; […]

RSS News from nwtreatytribes.org

  • Snowy Winter Creates Difficult Conditions for Elk
    A severe winter threatened to starve the White River elk herd, which the Muckleshoot Tribe has spent years helping to recover. The tribe’s wildlife program trucked in alfalfa to support food resources that were minimized by this year’s deep snow pack. “We have spent a lot of time and money trying to recover this elk […]
  • Reservation wetlands ranked by culturally important plants
    The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community is using traditional knowledge to incorporate cultural values into wetland management. In 1999, a wetland inventory identified 54 wetlands on the Swinomish Reservation and assessed 36 of them for functions such as flood and stormwater control, base flow and groundwater support, and shoreline and erosion protection. “We realized that standard […]
  • Stillaguamish Tribe Awarded $1 million for Dairy Waste Management
    The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has awarded $1 million to the Stillaguamish Tribe for an innovative project in dairy nutrient management. In Washington state, the Stillaguamish Tribe was the lone recipient of a nationally funded Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG). “The CIG program provides seed money to help spur cutting-edge projects,” said NRCS Washington’s […]