This project will provide effective and efficient watershed restoration through coordination and support of tribal restoration planning and project implementation consistent with Wy-Kan-Ush-Mi Wa-Kish-Wit (tribal salmon recovery plan), and the NWPCC Fish and Wildlife Program.  CRITFC will participate, facilitate and support discussions in various regional forums.  Educational and outreach material about successful tribal projects will be published and distributed at public events and at planned hatchery conference, along with updated project information on the CRITFC website.  The tribes have a unique role and legal basis in designing and implementing the basin’s fish and wildlife program.  

The project Implement Wy-Kan-Ush-Mi Wa-Kish-Wit Watershed Assessment and Restoration Plan Now! (Project # 199803100) was developed by staff at the CRITFC and began in 1998 and has been an ongoing project funded yearly through the Bonneville Power Administration.  Funds in the past and currently are leveraged with additional support for related projects from Bureau of Indian Affairs, NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Salmon Commission.

BPA project funding to date:
FY 1998 $113,089
FY 1999 $121,385
FY 2000 $267,471
FY 2001 $289,301
FY 2002 $299,135
FY 2003 $234,211
FY 2004 $200,000
FY 2005 $200,000
FY 2006 $200,000
FY 2007 $210,000
FY 2008 $225,000
FY 2009 $225,000
FY 2010 $245,625

The major focus of the project continues to be the implementation and update of Wy-Kan-Ush-Mi Wa-Kish-Wit by ensuring integration of current/proposed subbasin salmonid production and habitat objectives are implemented in all salmon recovery regional decisions and in tribal restoration/protection projects.  This next year, another major focus will be working in collaboration with BPA and other federal agencies in the development of tribal workforce opportunities and the organization of a regional tribal hatchery conference.

One indicator of effectiveness is coordination that preserves the tribal effort to implement on-the-ground projects and participate in regional decision making that reflects “Wy-Kan-Ush-Mi Wa-Kish-Wit.”  Coordination effectiveness can also be evaluated through success in sustaining existing relationships and using education and outreach to foster new relations that implement collaborative projects.  Effectiveness is also evaluated by a tribal cohesive and non-overlapping effort on all regional issues.  

Accomplishments from the past year include the following:  Initiating update of Wy-Kan-Ush-Mi Wa-Kish-Wit, attendance and participation at monthly NWPCC and CBFWA meetings (making sure that the tribal perspective is included in all decisions), monthly and weekly summaries to the CRITFC tribes on all of the regional processes, presentations on salmon recovery efforts at public events including a Tribal Climate Change conference and ATNI meetings/conferences, creation of BPA project maps for the tribal Fish Accord projects and posted on the CRITFC website, and investigation of potential cost-share opportunities.

CRITFC is proposing to continue all of these efforts through the implementation of this new proposal.  The WEs proposed will allow this to happen since they are all mainly a continuation of last year's WEs.