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.

  • South Sound Information Officer

    February 5, 2019

    Download Announcement Plan, design, write, edit, and produce content for tribal and NWIFC news releases, brochures, newsletters, and annual reports; produce photographs, videos and other materials; assist social media efforts; meet frequently with tribes’ policy and technical staff to discuss current and future tribal public relations needs. Maintain and enhance positive public relations contacts with […]

  • Natural Resource Technician – Skagit River System Cooperative (SRSC)

    February 1, 2019

    Download Announcement Provide technical support and perform field work including the operation of machinery SRSC programs and its staff in the stewardship and implementation of salmonid protection and recovery projects.

  • Wildlife Program Manager/Biologist – Point No Point Treaty Council

    January 29, 2019

    Download Announcement The Wildlife Program Manager shall provide professional scientific and management expertise to tribal staff and tribal leaders to support wildlife policy development and protection of treaty hunting rights. Responsibilities include planning and implementing field investigations, studies, and surveys of wildlife; applying population models; and developing hunting regulations to ensure sustainable harvest. Duties may also […]

RSS News from nwtreatytribes.org

  • Proposed State Budget Underfunds Culvert Replacement
    Being Frank is a monthly column written by the chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. As a statement from the NWIFC chair, the column represents the interests and concerns of treaty Indian tribes throughout western Washington. Treaty tribes in western Washington are concerned that Gov. Jay Inslee’s two-year $54 billion budget now before the […]
  • Tulalip Tribes works with state to restore fish passage
    The Tulalip Tribes are collaborating with the state of Washington to fix some of the fish-blocking culverts that were the subject of a U.S. Supreme Court case last year. The Supreme Court affirmed in June that state blockages of salmon habitat violate tribal treaty rights. These rights require that fish be available for harvest. The […]
  • Tribes Donate 750,000 Chinook to Cover State Hatchery Loss
    Two treaty tribes recently gave hundreds of thousands of chinook fry to the state’s hatchery program to help defray losses from an extended power outage at the Minter Creek Hatchery in December. The Nisqually Indian Tribe donated 500,000 chinook fry from its Clear Creek Hatchery, and the Suquamish Tribe provided 250,000 from its program. “We […]