This award will provide funding to address threats and manage california pacific salmon populations to foster year-round fishing opportunities in the MAD river watershed

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded Blue Lake Rancheria $1.460 million on October 1, 2025, under the Pacific Salmon Treaty Program (CFDA 11.438) to address threats to California Pacific salmon populations and develop adaptive management strategies in the Mad River Watershed.

Blue Lake Rancheria, a federally recognized Indian tribe headquartered in Blue Lake, California, will use the award to identify and address factors limiting Pacific salmon productivity, foster year-round fishing opportunities, and develop an adaptive strategic plan. The work supports U.S. commercial fisheries, domestic seafood supply chain integrity, and fisheries-related employment and economic activity in local communities.

The award obligates $1.460 million across a five-year period of performance extending from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030. Work is performed in Blue Lake, California. The Pacific Salmon Treaty Program provides financial assistance to states and treaty Indian tribes for salmon recovery and restoration, with priority consideration given to programs that directly address salmon recovery or support the information needs of the Pacific Salmon Commission for international management of salmon fishery stocks.

The purpose of this financial award is to address factors limiting the productivity of pacific salmon and develop an adaptive strategic plan. Healthy and sustainable populations of pacific salmon are key to the U.S. Commercial fisheries and to the integrity of the domestic seafood supply chain. If this action is not approved, threats to pacific salmon will continue to increase, there will be a reduction in fisheries-related jobs, and reduced fishing opportunities within the MAD river watershed of california, and an economic loss to local communities. This financial award will go towards supporting the U.S. Seafood industry, fisheries jobs, and local communities by addressing threats to pacific salmon, developing adaptive management strategies, and streamlining efforts to allow the tribal government to better understand, plan for, and ultimately address the needs of U.S. Citizens for domestic fishing.