Physical Address
357 Agency Rd,
Lapwai, ID 83540
On July 25, 2025, the newly appointed manager for the Nez Perce Tribe Department of Fisheries Resource Management (DFRM), Joseph Oatman, presented statistical information at the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) meeting, hosted at Clearwater River Casino. Each year, the participating tribes take turns hosting this annual meeting. Mr. Oatman gave an overview of the departments purpose, management plan, and priority action to pursue.
The stocks of many fish, including salmon and steelhead are listed as “threatened” and/or “endangered”, under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Currently, the salmon run is mostly hatchery raised Spring/Summer Chinook. The Nez Perce Tribe DFRM and CRITFC are continuously working to rebuild these populations. After many discussions over the years, Mr. Oatman shared, “there’s still more work, more discussion, more strategic thinking that needs to be done.”
For more information on the NPT DFRM, check out their website: https://nezperce.org/government/fisheries-resources-management/
