The nooksack tribe will be awarded $456,206 to work collaboratively with the lummi nation, the city of bellingham, and the washington department of fish and wildlife to develop a plan for city-owned…

The Nooksack Indian Tribe will receive $456,206 under a Cooperative Agreement awarded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on March 1, 2023 through the Habitat Conservation program (CFDA 11.463). The funding will support the Tribe's collaboration with the Lummi Nation, City of Bellingham, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop a plan addressing fish passage barriers in Bellingham's estuarine areas that are priorities for migratory fish conservation. Project partners will update barrier inventories, prioritize sites for corrective actions, assist with preliminary design plans, and support high priority project funding. The Tribe will also develop a communications plan to engage local communities and tribes in the process. The award furthers the program's goals of protecting and restoring coastal and marine habitats.

The nooksack tribe will be awarded $456,206 to work collaboratively with the lummi nation, the city of bellingham, and the washington department of fish and wildlife to develop a plan for city-owned fish passage barriers that addresses both city infrastructure needs and meets fisheries goals. Through an existing memorandum of agreement, project partners will update an inventory of barriers, develop a list of priority sites for corrective actions, assist with developing preliminary design plans, and provide support to fund high priority projects. This assessment will focus on barriers in estuarine areas of bellingham, which are often the first barrier encountered by migratory fish in these systems. The tribe will also work with the project consultant to develop a communications plan to ensure local and tribal communities are informed and provide input to help guide the process. The project will support an increase in endangered species act-listed, managed, and culturally-impor