Olympic Natural Resources Center, Rosmond Evening Talk Series, Dec. 11, 2024 at 7 9.m.

Join us in-person in the Hemlock Forest Room, 1455 S. Forks Ave, Forks, WA or via zoom: washington.zoom.us/j/3834334539

Presented by: John Hagan from the NW Indian Fisheries Commission

Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) are a critical resource for Indigenous tribes along Washington’s Pacific Coast. However, in recent decades, these fisheries have experienced significant declines due to a combination of environmental and human-induced stressors. To help tribal fisheries managers address these challenges, the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) collaborates with member tribes to leverage environmental DNA (eDNA) technology. This innovative approach enables the monitoring of Pacific salmon distributions over time and space and provides insights into freshwater habitat conditions on Washington’s western Olympic Peninsula.

Through the Coastal Watershed Assessment Project, eDNA data is being utilized by tribes to map fish distributions, prioritize habitat restoration efforts, and enhance existing monitoring programs. The project focuses on collecting biological data from unsurveyed streams and data-deficient regions, delivering a valuable tool for understanding current ecological conditions and the composition of freshwater communities. This work supports tribal fisheries management by generating actionable insights to guide conservation and restoration strategies.

John Hagan is the Coast Region Habitat Biologist for the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, His position focuses on research and monitoring projects which support the treaty rights of Western Washington tribes. John holds a BS in Biology and an MS in Fisheries Science and has over a decade of experience designing and implementing field studies and has worked in Washington, Alaska, Oregon and California.

The Evening Talk series is supported by the Rosmond Family Education Fund.