Habitat, Research & Monitoring

Salmon Recovery

Hood Canal Coordinating Council: Lead Entity Program Process

Natural Resources tech in the field with spawning salmon

  • The Hood Canal Coordinating Council’s (HCCC) Lead Entity Program Process provides guidance to the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRF Board) which seeks to implement key salmon recovery actions within the Hood Canal and Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca watersheds using Federal and State funding.
  • The Lead Entity Program Process evaluates habitat protection and restoration project proposals that meet regional goals for salmon recovery efforts.
  • Tribal representatives serve on three aspects of Lead Entity Program’s decision-making process: the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), the Citizens’ Advisory Group (CAG) and the Hood Canal Coordinating Council Board of Directors.
  • Tribal representatives in the Lead Entity’s Program process influence the SRF Board by providing economic, scientific and cultural values relevant to the recovery of salmon.

Links
Hood Canal Coordinating Council’s (HCCC) Lead Entity Program Process
Washington State Recovery Lead Entity: Habitat Work Schedule

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – Coastal Resiliency Grant

The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe was awarded the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coastal Resiliency Grant that will be applied to the construction of the Kilisut Harbor Restoration Project, led by the North Olympic Salmon Coalition. In this project, a causeway and culverts will be replaced by a bridge connecting Indian Island and Marrowstone Island. Restoring the historic connection between Oak Bay and Kilisut Harbor is important to improving migration patterns for salmon. Construction for this project is expected to start in 2018.

Links
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coastal Resiliency Grant
North Olympic Salmon Coalition: Kilisut Harbor Restoration Project

Research Projects & Studies

Hood Canal Bridge Ecosystem Impact Assessment

  • Strong evidence suggests that the Hood Canal Bridge is acting as a salmon migration barrier driving increased mortalities. In partnership with Long Live the Kings, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s research supports the investigation of the Hood Canal Bridge’s impact on salmon and its effect on the ecosystem.

Links
Long Live the Kings: Hood Canal Bridge Ecosystem Impact Assessment

Mapping Nearshore Nodal Habitat of Juvenile Salmon within the Hood Canal and the Eastern Strait of San Juan de Fuca

  • Using a variety of methods and techniques, this study mapped the distribution and abundance of juvenile salmon in the nearshore of the Hood Canal and Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca. The intent of this research is to assist in prioritizing nearshore restoration and protection efforts to improve the success of salmon recovery efforts in local watersheds.

Port Gamble Bay Eelgrass Restoration Monitoring

  • In 2015, as part of the Port Gamble Bay Cleanup and Restoration effort, divers transplanted eelgrass in the southern portion of Port Gamble Bay with the goal of restoring approximately 2 acres. Since the completion of that project, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s on-going monitoring efforts determine water quality, bed structure, and survival rate of transplanted eelgrass.

Tribal Mass Marking Project

  • Since the early 1990’s, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe has conducted annual spawner surveys on streams in north Hood Canal. Survey data helps to assess the level of hatchery salmon population straying in wild Coho systems. This data is used to develop escapement estimates, assess sustainable yield and evaluate the integrity of wild stocks.

Pollution Identification and Correction

  • Increased levels of fecal coliform and E. coli indicate a septic system failure or some other source of pollution. The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s Pollution, Identification and Correction (PIC) Program investigates data gap analyses to support regional PIC efforts.

Links
Hood Canal Coordinating Council – Pollution Identification and Correction
Hood Canal Coordinating Council – Hood Canal Regional PIC Program-Phase II Final Report (PDF)

Low Dissolved Oxygen and Its Impact on the Reproductive Success of Adult Salmon (Hypoxia Study)

  • Efforts to rebuild fish populations depend on understanding the effects of rising temperatures and associated low dissolved oxygen on salmon reproduction. This study investigates the impact hypoxic conditions have on adult salmon reproduction and implications for juvenile salmon development.

Stream Temperature Monitoring

  • As part of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s Climate Impact Assessment, on-going long-term data collection provides current temperature regimes in streams and rivers within Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s Usual and Accustomed areas.

First Nations Development Institute-Fertile Ground Advocacy Campaign

  • The Port Gamble S’Klallam Foundation recently received a grant from the First Nations Development Institute (FNDI) of Longmont, Colorado. This award will support the efforts of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s S’Klallam Shellfish Grow-Out Expansion. The S’Klallam Shellfish Grow-Out Expansion will primarily serve the Port Gamble S’Klallam community in writing shellfish aquaculture policy, community outreach, sustaining shellfish populations for community subsistence, and later expanding on the shellfish populations for commercial production. This grant is through FNDI’s Native Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative and made possible through generous support from the American Heart Association and the Shakopee Mdwekanton Sioux Community.