The Swinomish Fisheries Department provides technical assistance
needed to manage salmon and bottom fish to achieve optimum harvests
for the Swinomish Tribe. The Fisheries Department develops
pre-season forecasts and in-season updates for the salmon run
sizes, monitors harvest, conducts test fisheries, negotiates
outside fisheries affecting Skagit coho and chinook, and represents
the Tribe in management of Fraser sockeye.
The Fisheries Department also provides technical assistance needed
to manage the shellfish resource to achieve optimum benefits for
the Swinomish Tribal Community and member fishermen. There are up
to 21 annual shellfish management plans developed and negotiated
with the State of Washington and affected tribes each year. These
plans are finalized and signed by each party prior to opening the
respective fishery. Continued emphasis has been put on allocated
harvest goals and scheduled updates for adjusting harvest quotas
in-season to help managers meet the court requirement for 50:50
sharing between the Tribes and the State.
The Swinomish Fisheries Department works in close collaboration
with the Skagit River System Cooperative (SRSC), a consortium that
is now composed of the Swinomish and Sauk-Suiattle tribes. The
Cooperative provides habitat protection, restoration, salmon
recovery planning, and fish research services to the Swinomish and
Sauk-Suiattle tribes, while the Swinomish Fisheries Department
provides fish and shellfish harvest management services to the
Swinomish Tribal Community.
Fisheries
Fisheries
contact
Pete Kairis or Lorraine Loomis
Phone: (360) 466.1146
Email: pkairis@skagitcoop.org