The Sequim Gazette reported on this fall's return of summer chum to Jimmycomelately Creek. Numbers aren't as high this year as last year's 8,000 fish that returned to the creek, but biologists…
For more than 30 years, the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have been conducting a test fishery near Kingston, WA for chum salmon. The…
Due to its popularity with harvesters and shellfish lovers, scientists are learning more about geoduck clams found in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
During the past two years, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) have been collecting age and genetic data from these particular bivalves found in the Strait.
“Geoduck is currently managed as a single Puget Sound stock,” said Kelly Toy, Jamestown S’Klallam’s shellfish management biologist. “But there may be regional differences that exist between geoducks in the Strait and other regions within Puget Sound. Gathering age and genetic data specific to geoducks in the Strait will help us determine if there are regional differences and develop a model that would help improve the sustainability of the Strait’s geoduck resource.” (more…)
The Kitsap Sun and North Kitsap Herald published reports about the annual transfer of coho salmon smolts from the state's George Adams hatchery in Shelton to the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe's…
The Skokomish Tribe is wrapping up the first five years of an intensive 16-year study to enhance steelhead populations in Hood Canal rivers. Puget Sound steelhead are listed as “threatened”…
The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and State of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife are working together to boost pink salmon populations in the Dungeness River watershed near Sequim. The supplementation…
The treaty tribes of western Washington look forward to continuing to work with Phil Anderson as director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
Anderson was named the department’s permanent director Saturday by the nine-member commission Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. Anderson had been serving as interim director since last December, when Jeff Koenings resigned from the position.
“Phil is a fair and honest man,” said Billy Frank Jr., chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. (more…)
WDFW released the following press release about the Wiley Slough restoration project, in partnership with the Skagit River System Cooperative, the natural resources management arm of the Swinomish and Sauk-Suiattle tribes:
OLYMPIA – Beginning July 15, the 175-acre Headquarters Unit of the Skagit Wildlife Area will be closed to public access as crews resume work on a major estuary-restoration project at the mouth of the Skagit River.
The closed area includes the public boat ramp and the dike-top trails along the Skagit River and Wiley Slough.
Crews will be removing approximately 6,500 feet of dikes and levees, allowing tides and the river to reclaim the area south of a newly constructed setback dike that was completed earlier this year. The restoration project began in 2008, when crews installed a new, larger tidegate farther upstream on Wiley Slough. (more…)
Crews have begun the next phase of construction on the Wiley Slough restoration project, which will return tidal flow to a former estuary in the Skagit River delta. The Skagit…
Cooperative natural resources co-management at its best was displayed during this year's North of Falcon process for setting Indian and non-Indian salmon fishing seasons in western Washington. The results were…