FY 2021 Skagit Watershed Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement

Project funds were used to support a portion of Upper Skagit Indian Tribe (USIT) Fish and Wildlife Enforcement officer salaries. Starting in February and ending in late October during the implementation of commercial, subsistence, or test fisheries, USIT Fish and Wildlife Enforcement officers monitored fishing sites for fishery regulatory compliance, including gear restrictions, open waters, catch reporting, and emergency closures. In addition, Enforcement Officers helped limit the take of listed species by assisting in removing derelict or phantom gear in the Skagit River. The Enforcement Officers coordinated with other agencies ensuring both state and tribal enforcement and conservation activities were enforced. The officers routinely checked fishing grounds after scheduled fisheries in the Skagit River to ensure no derelict gear was illegally fishing.

The primary benefit is to prevent illegal harvest and to monitor tribal fisheries to ensure fishers are complying with harvest and conservation regulations that were developed in Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and North of Falcon arenas and ordinances set forth by USIT Council. The presence of an officer on the fishing grounds during fisheries facilitates communication with harvest managers on accurate catch accounting and reporting to ensure that tribal fisheries are managed to achieve conservation goals. The officers also conduct surveys for illegal fishing and respond to all reports of derelict fishing gear, reducing or eliminating accidental and illegal take of Chinook.



The Skagit Chinook Recovery Plan highlights the impacts of illegal take in Chapter 5, under section 5.3.3 Poaching. Chapter 6, section 6.8 Harvest Enforcement describes a series of recommendations for monitoring these impacts. Specifically, the Skagit Chinook Recovery Plan outlines 10 recommendations, two of which are supported by this project. Recommendation 6.8.2 (page 76) states “Demand on existing enforcement staff is expected to increase, necessitating the need for increased cooperation through the development of effective partnerships.” Recommendation 6.8.3 (page 76) states “Future state and tribal compliance priorities will focus on illegal harvest and take for both anadromous and native resident salmonid species as well as habitat protection to provide “gravel to gravel” protection by vigorously enforcing current state, tribal and federal protection regulations.”