Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

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The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is dedicated to preserving, protecting and perpetuating the state’s fish and wildlife resources. The department operates under a dual mandate from the Washington Legislature to:

• Protect and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats.
• Provide sustainable, fish- and wildlife-related recreational and commercial opportunities.
• To achieve its mandates the Department strives to achieve these goals:Department-wide leadership that is effective, efficient and results in public confidence in Department management.
• An environment of respect and trust within the Department fostering quality management and decision making
• Recruitment, development and retention of a diverse effectively deployed and well-trained workforce
• An informed public, participating in policy development and contributing to quality decision making.
• Partnerships with public and international entities, tribal leaders, public volunteers and service groups to share responsibility for fish, wildlife and their habitats.
• Effective practices and partnerships with landowners and land use decision-makers to maintain and enhance habitat.
• Maximize fishing, hunting and non-consumptive recreational opportunities compatible with healthy, diverse fish and wildlife populations.
• Sustainable management of marine resources to maintain the economic well being and stability of the State’s fishing industry and to enhance recreational and commercial fishing in state and offshore waters.
• A firm foundation for the protection and restoration of habitat in the basin.
• Sustainable returns of native wild salmonids in the basin.
• Improved relationships with individuals, groups, and organizations in the basin.
• Consistency between WDFW goals in the basin and the goals of the Council.
• Providing a connective link between the Council and other watershed planning efforts, both within the Skagit Basin, and to other watersheds throughout the state, including the Puget Sound Partnership.

Primary Programs/Projects
WDFW has five broad programs to provide sound stewardship of the state’s fish and wildlife resources: Fish Program (which includes harvest and hatchery management); Wildlife Program (which includes wildlife and lands management; Habitat Program (which includes regulatory and technical services); Enforcement Program; and Business Services Program. These programs carry out a broad range of functions including: Basic research; Stock assessment; establishing harvest numbers and seasons; habitat protection; habitat restoration and creation; inventory and regulating the maintenance on fishways; identify and track priority habitats and priority species; hatchery production of fish, shellfish, and game birds; management of over 800,000 acres of land for the recreational enjoyment of fish and wildlife and the conservation of important habitats; public access to state waterways; regulate land-use activities that effect fish and wildlife; and enforce Fish and Wildlife regulations.

Within the Skagit Basin, WDFW is an important landowner. It provides hunting areas and important habitat for waterfowl and other species (including bald eagle wintering areas). WDFW has a salmon hatchery and steelhead rearing facilities, and provides several public boat launch sites along the river. WDFW has been inventorying potential salmon habitat enhancement sites and has been conducting enhancement projects in the basin since 1981. WDFW also has a District Office located in LaConner that supports all of its programs.

Reason for Participating on the Skagit Watershed Council
Department policy is guided by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission composed of nine citizen members appointed by the Governor. Department operations are led by a Director and an Executive Management Team. The Director is appointed by the Fish and Wildlife Commission. The department is headquartered in Olympia and operates six regional offices throughout the state.