Fish Habitat Section

Mission

To protect fish habitat within the Quinault Reservation and within the Usual and Accustomed Fishing Area for the benefit of the Quinault People.Two staff monitoring construction work.

Environmental Protection's Fish Habitat Section works both on the Quinault Indian Reservation and within Quinault's Usual and Accustomed Area (U&A) to protect fish and wildlife treaty resources.  Quinault's Fish Habitat Biologists are technical experts with knowledge of fish resources and habitat, geomorphology, unstable slopes, hydrology, wildlife, and native northwest flora.

On-Reservation

Quinault's Fish Habitat Biologists that work on-reservation issue Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) permits, monitor construction and fish passage activities, and ensure work is carried out using the most environmentally sensitive methods. They work closely with other Divisions and collaborate on projects, like the Village Relocation effort, timber harvest activities, and enforcement actions.

Restoration

Quinault Fish Habitat Biologist and Forest Practice Technician dedicate their time to implementing restoration projects on the Reservation in order to help recover our salmon populations. Some of the recent projects include:

  • culvert inventory and prioritization project (2022, ongoing)
  • fish barrier removal and fish passage restoration at "Field Goal" timber harvest unit (2022)group of people standing in a river posing for a picture
  • site cleanup at Cook Creek (2021)
  • hazardous site cleanup at Lake Quinault (2020)
  • Camp 7 fish barrier removals and education effort (2019)

Off-Reservation

Quinault's U&A is a large area encompassing WRIAs 21, 22, and 23 - the Queets and Quinault Watersheds, as well as the entire Chehalis River basin, and any waters that flow into Grays Harbor. We provide this expertise to other basin stakeholders while fostering positive working relationships for the protection and enhancement of culturally important natural resources. Our ultimate goal is to ensure the continued ability for Quinault tribal members to maintain and exercise their treaty protected rights.

History of Timber, Fish and Wildlife Program

A consensus approach to implementing reforms in forest practice regulations in the U&A. This began in 1987 with the Timber, Fish and Wildlife Agreement. It provided the  framework, procedures and requirements for successfully managing our state's forests "so as to meet the needs of a viable timber industry and at the same time provide protection for our public resources; fish, wildlife and water, as well as the cultural archaeological resources of Indian tribes within our state"

 We are a regulatory participation program that works with forest landowners, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and other local, State, and Federal agencies primarily to evaluate proposed forest practices and other land-use activities within the Quinault U&A.

Responsibilities include:

  • Screening Forest Permit Applications to ensure that natural resources and public safety are protected
  • Participating on Interdisciplinary Teams with other resource specialists to make on-the-ground timber and forest road resource management decisions on extremely sensitive sites
  • Assess stream to type changes proposed by landowners.
  • Review and provide Quinault Indian Nation decision makers with technical information to aide in shaping public policy impacting natural resources
  • Review and provide technical expertise for forest practices applications and activities
  • Protect, restore, and enhance fish and wildlife habitat with a natural process based approach
  • Design and implement fish habitat restoration projects
  • Advocate for Quinault tribal treaty rights among all resource stakeholders
  • Aim to safeguard fish and wildlife habitat while providing for the economic healthiness of the timber industry