Did a Winter Visit By Orcas Help Puget Sound Steelhead?
The Nisqually Indian Tribe – with help from the federal and state government – is trying to find out how much a winter-time visit of marine mammal eating transient orca…
The Nisqually Indian Tribe – with help from the federal and state government – is trying to find out how much a winter-time visit of marine mammal eating transient orca…
Over at Keep Seafood Clean, you should read an essay by Lower Elwha vice-chair Russ Hepfer about why a strong water quality rule would protect all Washingtonians: State government has…
Nano Perez and Tom Friedrich were surveying the Nisqually River for spawning steelhead when they came upon a wounded bald eagle. The tribal staff members were on hand yesterday when…
Mark Trahant in Indian Country Today looks at the formation of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and how the tribes up there are drawing on the experience of tribes down…
Carl Burke, a contract lobbyist working for Puget Sound Anglers and the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association, made a strong statement about how his employers feel about the North of Falcon…
Late last week, the Puyallup Tribe released 30,000 steelhead into the upper White River. This is an interesting hatchery program that is showing real results in saving a disappearing run…

Nisqually tribal surveyors are hitting the water with a new piece of equipment that will help them better track endangered steelhead.
“We’ve been adapting our surveying techniques to gather more precise information on not only how many steelhead make it back each year to spawn, but where exactly they spawn,” said David Troutt, natural resources director for the tribe. “In the past we’ve doubled the amount of walking surveys we’re doing, and now we are using new tools to make that time on the river more productive.”
The surveyors are carrying tablet computers, allowing them to mark steelhead redds – or nests – more accurately than they could with expensive GPS units. The tablets display a detailed stream map prepared by the tribe’s geographic information department, allowing the surveyors to mark redd locations precisely.
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Al Jazeera America posted up a new story today that shows how the Fish Wars from decades ago still echo in the battle over hatcheries, tribal fisheries management and salmon…
Treaty tribal and state salmon co-managers reached agreement late Tuesday on a package of fishing seasons that will fairly share the burden of conserving weak wild salmon stocks while providing limited harvest opportunities.
“Cooperation on both sides helped to ensure that everyone will be able to fish this year,” said Lorraine Loomis, chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.
“We are especially thankful for the leadership of former WDFW director Phil Anderson and current director Jim Unsworth in helping to meet our shared conservation challenges,” she said.
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The Swinomish Tribal Community issued this press release yesterday: The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community filed a lawsuit in federal court today against BNSF Railway (BNSF) for violating the terms of…