Fisheries Department

QDFi logoMission

The mission of the Quinault Department of Fisheries (QDFi) is to provide high quality, reliable, science-based information and recommendations to support successful management of QIN fisheries and aquatic resources. One important role of QDFi is to protect and strengthen the self-regulatory status of the Quinault Indian Nation (QIN, the Nation) as confirmed and defined in the 1974 U.S. v Washington federal court case, more commonly known as the "Boldt Decision." Further, QDFi will be a trusted asset in the QIN's initiatives and actions to protect and advance the Nation's position as a respected leader in natural resources management.

Goals

The overall goals of QDFi have been established by the Quinault Indian Nation to be:

  • Protect and advance the sovereignty, treaty fishing right, and self-regulatory status of QIN;
  • Protect the productivity of the fisheries resources of QIN; and
  • Protect and enhance the fisheries of QIN.

Responsibilities

The Quinault Fisheries Department provides harvest management, hatchery production, and other technical services to support the QIN's fisheries. These services help protect and enhance the fisheries and resources of the Quinault Indian Nation.

The Quinault Fisheries Department is divided into two sections:

  • Science Section - This group was established to strengthen the capacity of the department to provide solid scientific information regarding the status of fisheries resources and to provide sound recommendations for management. These are the individuals who provide status reports and quantitative models, give guidance for data gathering and reporting protocols, and develop research and restoration programs to further QIN policy objectives.
  • Operations Section - This section provides the Quinault Indian Nation with the best possible biological information and technical recommendations regarding management and regulation of its fisheries and to operate hatcheries and resource restoration. The Operations Section contains three strong teams:    
    • Harvest Management Team, whose primary objective is to provide Quinault fishers with the maximum possible opportunity for harvest while maintaining limits imposed by sharing and conservation requirements. This task requires a large amount of new and historical data concerning the fisheries themselves and the resources; 
    • Technical Support Team, which is the group of people who collect the data, monitor and assess resources, and conduct studies that contribute to the knowledge required to manage the complex ecosystems that support the Nation’s fisheries;
    • Resource Enhancement Team, which is the group responsible for supplemental production of salmon and steelhead at two hatcheries, providing fish for the Quinault and Queets rivers. This team also provides support and production for the Quinault National Fish Hatchery at Cook Creek, a facility which is maintained and operated by US Fish & Wildlife.