Natural Resource

The Nooksack Natural Resources Department (NNR) works to
protect and recover the treaty resources of the Nooksack Tribe by
assessing, preserving and restoring salmon habitat, and by
managing fish and shellfish resources for the long
term in ecologically sound, sustainable manner.

	Natural Resource 5016 Deming Road P.O. Box 157 Deming, WA 98244 360.592.5176 360.592.5753 (Fax)
	Office Hours Monday - Friday 12:00pm-1:00pm (Lunch) 8:30am - 5:00pm
	Contact Information Bob Kelly, Fisheries Director Email: rjkelly@nooksack-tribe.org RaeAnna Rabang, Office Manager Email: rrabang@nooksack-tribe.org Gary MacWilliams, Harvest Manager Email: gmacwilliams@nooksack-tribe.org

Fisheries Management
For thousands of years, Nooksack tribal members have harvested fish in a sustainable manner to support
their families and community members. The Nooksack Natural Resource Department (NNR) is striving
to make sure that continues forever. As one of the tribal co-managers of the fisheries resource in the State
of Washington, the Nooksack Tribe is a voice for sound harvest management. The tribe is also one of
the participants in Pacific Salmon Treaty negotiations, which brings Nooksack Natural Resources into the
international arena of fisheries.

The tribe has also expanded its management efforts to emerging fisheries like sea cucumber and sea urchin,
in addition to mainstays such as salmon, crab and shrimp. NNR carefully manages each of these, keeping
an eye on those long term goals of sustainable, biologically-sound tribal fisheries for years to come.

Treaty Resource Protection
The Constitution of the United States recognizes that treaties with Indian tribes are the "supreme law of the
land," sacred pacts which ensure treaty rightsin perpetuity. The Nooksack Natural Resources Department
works to protect those treaty-ensured rights, which include the rights to harvest fish and shellfish as tribal
members have done since time immemorial. Essential to the right to harvest those resources are implementation
of land management strategies which restore healthy habitat, supporting sustainable harvest for tribal members
and other citizens, and the utilization of Federal reserved water rights to enhance those tribal resources. NNR
works in various ways - in cooperation with other jurisdiction, federal, state and local to promote responsible
resource management. NNR reviews permitting activities, such as forest practices applications, road maintenance
plans, Total Maximum Daily Load allocations, hydro power and flood control proposals. Through providing
technical input the department helps educate others on habitat requirements for the various treaty resources,
and how their actions can help promote recovery. NNR also encourages regulatory changes which support
habitat recovery.