Surface Water Management Division
How the County is Tied into Larger Salmon Efforts
Citizens, tribes, non-governmental organizations, and government agencies are all playing a role in salmon recovery. Some have legal authorities over salmon recovery, while others participate in efforts, and some simply get their hands dirty doing the restoration that needs to take place to restore healthy salmon populations.
Federal Agencies
Because Chinook salmon and bull trout are listed under the U.S. (federal) Endangered Species Act, federal agencies identified as lead agencies have specific legislated authorities over salmon recovery. NOAA Fisheries is responsible for Chinook salmon recovery, while the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for bull trout recovery.
As lead agencies, their first responsibility is to determine whether an endangered species act listing is warranted (called a status review). Once a listing (as “threatened” or “endangered”) is made, the lead agencies must develop a recovery plan that would ultimately result in delisting the species. In Puget Sound, both NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have agreed to work with a regional organization (the Shared Strategy for Puget Sound) and local groups to develop and implement the recovery plans.
Federal agencies also have a “trust responsibility” to federally recognized Indian tribes to ensure that tribal treaty hunting, fishing, gathering and cultural practices are protected.
Treaty Indian Tribes
Puget Sound treaty Indian tribes, i.e. those federally recognized, have three areas of responsibility in salmon recovery planning. The tribes participate in local efforts to develop salmon recovery plans. Tribes also serve as co-managers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in developing harvest and hatchery plans that address species recovery at both the local and regional levels. Lastly, tribes review and approve of local and regional recovery plans, a process that fulfills the federal agencies’ trust responsibility.
State of Washington
The Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office holds authority to coordinate recovery efforts by state agencies. Beyond regulatory authority for water quality, natural resource management, and community development, state agencies provide staffing and technical input to local and regional salmon recovery efforts. The WA Department of Fish and Wildlife and Puget Sound Treaty Indian Tribes co-manage salmon harvest and operate most salmon hatcheries. The State Salmon Recovery Funding Board is an important resource for implementing projects that protect and restore salmon habitat.
Regional Coordination
The Shared Strategy for Puget Sound is a collaborative effort of NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the State of Washington, tribes, local governments, and interest groups to develop a Chinook and bull trout recovery plan. In Puget Sound, local communities were empowered to through this “bottom-up” approach to create local salmon plans that are chapters in the regional recovery plan.
Local Recovery
Snohomish County participates or staffs the local recovery groups that guide salmon recovery. In the Snohomish and Stillaguamish Watersheds, the local plans are considered to be among the best in Puget Sound and are a model for other species recovery plans nationwide.