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| Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies - Tribal Working Group | |
|---|---|
| Name | Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies - Tribal Working Group |
| Formation | 20th century |
| Type | Advisory body |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Leader title | Chair |
| Parent organization | Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies |
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies - Tribal Working Group
The Tribal Working Group operates as an advisory body within the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, engaging with Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Congress of American Indians, InterTribal Council of Arizona, and Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals to address fish and wildlife issues affecting Indigenous Nations. The Working Group coordinates with tribal governments such as the Navajo Nation, Cherokee Nation, Yakama Nation, Alaska Native corporations, and agencies like the U.S. Department of the Interior and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on conservation, treaty rights, and resource management across federal and state jurisdictions.
The Tribal Working Group serves as a forum linking tribes such as the Sioux Tribe, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the Tohono O'odham Nation, and agencies including the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service to address fish and wildlife conservation, hunting and fishing rights, species recovery, and habitat restoration. It convenes stakeholders from organizations like the Wildlife Management Institute, Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, and regional commissions such as the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and North American Wetlands Conservation Council.
The Working Group emerged amid late 20th-century dialogues involving the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, tribal leaders from the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and Puyallup Tribe of Indians, and federal actors including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs. Influences included landmark legal events such as United States v. Washington, the Boldt Decision, and statutes like the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act and the Endangered Species Act that shaped collaborative frameworks among tribes, states, and federal agencies. Early convenings drew representatives from the National Congress of American Indians and regional conservation NGOs like Conservation International.
The Working Group's mission aligns with treaty-based stewardship and aims to harmonize tribal sovereignty and wildlife conservation through objectives that reference actors such as the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, Arctic Council delegates, tribal governments like the Blackfeet Nation, and research partners including the Smithsonian Institution. Core objectives include protecting subsistence fisheries referenced by the Alaska Natives and salmon recovery efforts emphasized by the Pacific Salmon Commission, advancing co-management with entities like the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, and integrating traditional ecological knowledge from communities such as the Hopi Tribe into recovery plans under the Endangered Species Act.
Membership consists of tribal representatives from nations including the Chippewa Cree Tribe, Salish and Kootenai, Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin, and liaison roles for state agencies such as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and federal partners like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service. Governance follows procedures influenced by tribal council protocols found in tribes like the Oneida Nation and organizational bylaws comparable to those of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, with leadership rotating among representatives similar to practices in the National Congress of American Indians and oversight by steering committees akin to the Tribal Treaty Commission.
The group coordinates programs addressing salmon restoration with the Pacific Salmon Commission, migratory bird conservation aligned with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act stakeholders, and cooperative enforcement with agencies such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It supports capacity-building workshops with partners like the U.S. Geological Survey, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Haskell Indian Nations University, and grant programs administered alongside the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, National Fish Habitat Partnership, and foundations such as the Packard Foundation.
Collaborations include co-management initiatives involving the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, trilateral dialogues with the International Joint Commission and Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and conservation agreements with NGOs like The Nature Conservancy and Defenders of Wildlife. The Working Group engages research institutions such as the University of Washington, Oregon State University, and University of Alaska on climate impacts referenced by the National Climate Assessment and species assessments linked to the IUCN Red List.
Challenges encompass jurisdictional complexities highlighted by cases like United States v. Washington and legislation such as the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act that indirectly affect resource priorities, funding constraints tied to appropriations by the U.S. Congress, and competing mandates among agencies including the Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service. The Working Group influences policy through input to rulemakings under the Endangered Species Act, coordination with the Fish and Wildlife Service on recovery planning, and advocacy in forums like the National Environmental Policy Act processes and congressional briefings conducted with offices such as the Committee on Natural Resources (House of Representatives) and the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
Category:Native American environmental organizations