Friday June 17, 2022
US Department of the Interior —
The Department of the Interior today transferred fish production at Dworshak National Fish Hatchery to the Nez Perce Tribe, an important move underscoring the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to empowering Indigenous communities and supporting Tribal trust responsibility.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland joined leadership from the Nez Perce Tribe, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to tour the hatchery and commemorate the transfer. The fish produced at the hatchery serve help to meet the United States’ trust responsibility for protecting the resources reserved in the treaties between the Nez Perce Tribe and the United States.
“The transfer of fish production at the Dworshak National Fish Hatchery to the Nez Perce Tribe is a triumph that is nearly 20 years in the making, and a testament to what can happen when we work collaboratively,” said Secretary Haaland. “There is much to be gained when we respect and integrate Indigenous knowledge into our conservation initiatives. Today’s event commemorates Native people’s resilience, conservation efforts guided by Indigenous knowledge, and the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to honor our trust responsibility and treaty obligations to Tribes.”
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s wildlife management and conservation efforts are strengthened when we incorporate Indigenous knowledge and rely on the best available science,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams. “I am proud of the work the Service has done to manage the fish production at this hatchery jointly with the Tribe – and I look forward to its continued success as we work to ensure that the fish hatchery and surrounding community continue to thrive together.”