The lummi natural resources (LNR) department seeks funding to initiate monitoring pinniped (seal and sea lion) populations and their impacts on salmonid stocks native to the nooksack river in NW…

The Lummi Indian Business Council was awarded a $200,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Tribal Wildlife Grants (CFDA 15.639) program. The grant funding will be used to initiate a pinniped (seal and sea lion) population monitoring project within the Lummi Nation's usual and accustomed fishing areas in northwest Washington state. The key goals of this 2-year project are to: 1) design and implement the first pinniped monitoring plan for the Lummi Nation, 2) provide harbor seal population estimates, and 3) collect and analyze harbor seal scat to inform population demographics. The monitoring data and analysis will help the Lummi Nation make more informed management decisions regarding the impacts of harbor seals on native salmonid stocks in the Nooksack River. The grant award period is from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2026.

The lummi natural resources (LNR) department seeks funding to initiate monitoring pinniped (seal and sea lion) populations and their impacts on salmonid stocks native to the nooksack river in NW washington state. As increasing evidence points towards pinniped populations reaching carrying capacity, baseline monitoring projects are necessary to understand the impacts of harbor seals on salmonid populations to allow for better informed management decisions. The main goals of this project are: 1) to design and initiate the first pinniped monitoring plan and project for the lummi nation, 2) to provide harbor seal population estimates within the lummi usual and accustomed (u a) fishing areas as defined by US v WA 1974, 3) to inform population demographics (including SEX and individual identification) through the collection and analysis of harbor seal scats. These goals will ensure the title 10 lummi code of laws for pinniped management meets the best management practices for the tribe. The summary reports from this study will be utilized by LNR and shared with the lummi fishing and hunting communities, the lummi indian business council (libc), lummi fisheries and natural resource commission (lfnrc), CO-managers, and federal partners.