Yakama Nation Fisheries

What Yakama Nation Fisheries does

Yakama Nation Fisheries is a program of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, a federally recognized tribal government. Operating under authority reserved by the Treaty of 1855 (12 stat. 951), the program manages over 100 active projects across the Columbia River Basin focused on restoring sustainable, harvestable populations of salmon, steelhead, sockeye, coho, Pacific lamprey, bull trout, and other at-risk species. Its portfolio spans hatchery supplementation (Cle Elum, Prosser, Mel Sampson Coho, and Chandler facilities), trap-and-haul operations (notably for sockeye reintroduction from Priest Rapids Dam to Lake Cle Elum), dam removals (Hemlock Dam, Bateman Island Causeway removal), floodplain restoration (Middle Fork and West Fork Teanaway), fish passage improvements, riparian and wetlands enhancement, toxics monitoring across the Columbia River mainstem from Bonneville Dam to the Canada border, and harvest management under the Yakama Nation Fish & Wildlife Committee.

Its underlying technology stack combines specialized hatchery and fish passage infrastructure with quantitative ecological modeling tools (biostatistics, GIS, remote sensing, population dynamics, habitat and climate models, fish passage modeling, species distribution modeling) and proprietary data systems including the Status and Trends Annual Report (STAR) Dashboard, the Fish Data Query System with adult passage counts at Prosser Dam, Roza Dam, Lyle Falls, and Castile Falls, and a Comprehensive Library of project documentation.

Yakama Nation Fisheries generates no commercial revenue. Operating funds flow from federal treaty and mitigation obligations through the Bonneville Power Administration under the Columbia Basin Fish Accords, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Salmon Recovery Funding Board, and the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, alongside core allocations from the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. The program operates three offices in Washington State (Toppenish headquarters, Yakima, Winthrop) and serves the Yakama Nation's 10,000+ tribal members, federal and state co-managers, and broader Pacific Northwest salmon recovery stakeholders under the U.S. v. Oregon framework.

Name

Yakama Nation Fisheries

Legal name

Yakama Nation Fisheries

Website

https://yakamafish-nsn.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Yakama Nation Fisheries is a tribal government program under the Treaty of 1855 that restores Columbia River salmon, steelhead, and at-risk species through 100+ hatchery, habitat, and dam-removal projects, serving Yakama Nation members and federal/state co-managers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tribal Fisheries and Natural Resource Management

NAICS

American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Governments (921150), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11), Aquaculture (1125), Fishing, Hunting and Trapping (114), Shellfish Fishing (114112)

SIC

Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aquatic Ecology & Fisheries Assessments (EUAHAHAB), Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI), State/Provincial Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration (BPAIABAL)

Keywords

• Tribal fisheries management
• Salmon habitat restoration
• Hatchery supplementation programs
• Fish passage engineering
• Aquatic ecosystem monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Toppenish

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Federal Treaty/Mitigation Funding: Funding from federal agencies for treaty obligations and hydropower mitigation under the Northwest Power Act, Columbia River Power System mitigation, and Fish Accords
2. Bonneville Power Administration: BPA funding for salmon recovery projects in the Columbia Basin as part of federal hydropower system mitigation
3. Tribal Programs: Core funding from the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation for fisheries protection and restoration

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Yakama Nation Fisheries is the fisheries and natural-resources management program of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. It restores aquatic habitat, supplements salmonid populations through hatchery operations, re-establishes fish passage via dam removals and passage facilities, manages tribal harvest, monitors water quality and ecosystem health, and conducts fisheries research across the Columbia River Basin under Treaty of 1855 authority. Funding flows from federal mitigation agreements (including the Columbia Basin Fish Accords with Bonneville Power Administration), NOAA, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and tribal government allocations.

Product overview

Yakama Nation Fisheries is a tribal fisheries management organization operating as a program of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. It is not a commercial product company but rather a natural resource management agency. Its portfolio includes the Yakima Klickitat Fisheries Project (YKFP) as its core restoration initiative, the STAR data management and reporting platform, a Fish Data Query System for fish passage monitoring, and various hatchery programs including Spring Chinook Supplementation at Cle Elum, the Mel Sampson Coho Facility, and the Sockeye Reintroduction Program. The organization conducts over 100 active habitat restoration projects including dam removals, floodplain restorations, fish passage improvements, and the Columbia Basin Toxics Cleanup Program. Harvest management services ensure sustainable tribal fishing while protecting treaty-reserved rights.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yakima Klickitat Fisheries Project (YKFP) Major restoration and supplementation initiative evaluating and restoring salmon, steelhead, and at-risk species populations in the Yakima and Klickitat Subbasins using adaptive management principles, combining habitat protection/restoration with hatchery strategies.
• Status and Trends Annual Report (STAR) Annual reporting system summarizing fish population status and trends, habitat restoration actions, production and reintroduction programs, and Federal hydrosystem improvements affecting Yakama Nation treaty-trust aquatic species, featuring a dashboard with digital field data entry, query tools, and reporting capabilities.
• Fish Data Query System Interactive data system providing fish passage counts, juvenile counts, adult detection reports, and passage graphs for Prosser Dam, Roza Dam, Lyle Falls, and Castile Falls, including adult passage vs. river flow and temperature analysis.
• Yakima Basin Sockeye Reintroduction Program Program to restore sockeye salmon to four nursery lakes in the Yakima Basin, working with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to restore fish passage, with thousands of adult sockeye transplanted to Lake Cle Elum since 2009.
• Pacific Lamprey Project Project dedicated to restoring natural production of Pacific lamprey to provide robust species abundance, significant ecological contributions, and meaningful harvest within Yakama Nation's Ceded Lands and Usual and Accustomed areas.
• Mel Sampson Coho Facility Hatchery facility supporting coho salmon restoration in the Yakima Subbasin, part of efforts to reintroduce coho that were extinct in the region since the mid-1980s.
• Harvest Management Commercial gillnet fishing time authorizations and tribal harvest management to ensure sustainable fishing while protecting treaty-reserved rights under the Treaty of 1855.
• Columbia Basin Toxics Cleanup Program Superfund toxics restoration project addressing polluted sites in the Columbia River Basin impacting salmon and aquatic resources, including brownfields inventory and remediation, plus the Columbia River Mainstem long-term water-quality monitoring program from Bonneville Dam to the Canada border.
• Habitat Restoration Projects Over 100 active habitat restoration projects including dam removals (Hemlock Dam), floodplain restorations (Middle Fork Teanaway, West Fork Teanaway, Bateman Island Causeway), fish passage improvements, riparian enhancements, and toxics cleanup programs across the Columbia River basin.

Quantifiable outcome

• First native-born sockeye returned to Yakima Basin in over 100 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Washington Dept of Fish and WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-managers of Yakima and Klickitat fisheries. WDFW works with Yakama Nation on monitoring and evaluation of salmonid populations, hatchery reforms, and subbasin restoration projects under the Yakima Klickitat Fisheries Project.
• NOAA FisheriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal co-manager responsible for ESA listing determinations and salmon recovery planning. NOAA Fisheries provides technical guidance and funding through the Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion and Fish Accords.
• U.S. Bureau of ReclamationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency operating major dams and irrigation projects in the Yakima Basin. Partners on fish passage restoration, water management, and Cle Elum Pool Raise project. Co-leading Wapato Diversion Reconstruction.
• United States Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on Upper Columbia Habitat Restoration projects on federal lands. USFS Methow Ranger District collaborates on road decommissioning and habitat restoration in the Methow, Entiat, and Wenatchee subbasins.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner on Hemlock Dam Removal and other restoration projects. Provides technical expertise and funding through various fish and wildlife programs.
• American RiversminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization focused on river restoration. Collaborated on Hemlock Dam Removal project and broader watershed restoration efforts.
• Mid Columbia Fisheries Enhancement GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFisheries enhancement organization that works with Yakama Nation on aquatic habitat restoration in the Teanaway River watershed and other mid-Columbia projects.
• EcotrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner that supports tribal fisheries and environmental initiatives. Collaborated on Hemlock Dam Removal project.
• Yakima Basin Fish and Wildlife Recovery BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional coordinating body that supports fish and wildlife recovery efforts in the Yakima Basin. Partners on monitoring programs and Status and Trends Annual Report.
• Central Washington UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner collaborating on West Fork Teanaway River Floodplain Restoration project with students and research support.
• Washington Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand manager of Teanaway Community Forest where Middle Fork Teanaway River restoration projects are located. Partners on public land restoration.
• Bureau of Indian AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency co-leading Wapato Diversion Reconstruction project. BIA maintains the project website and provides funding and technical support.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission: CRITFC is the coordinating body for four Columbia Basin treaty tribes (including the Yakama Nation) on fishery management, salmon recovery, and tribal sovereignty. It is the closest direct peer as it co-manages the same fisheries resources and runs overlapping technical, policy, and habitat programs.
• Nez Perce Tribe Fisheries Resources Management: The Nez Perce Tribe manages tribal fisheries across the Snake, Clearwater, and Salmon rivers in Idaho, with comparable hatchery, supplementation, and habitat programs (e.g., Snake River sockeye, fall chinook). Operates under similar treaty-reserved rights and federal mitigation funding structures.
• Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission: NWIFC supports 20 Western Washington treaty tribes on fisheries management, salmon recovery, and habitat restoration. It operates with a similar treaty-based authority model and shares co-management responsibilities with WDFW and NOAA on salmonid resources comparable to Yakama Nation Fisheries' portfolio.
• Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs - Fisheries: The Warm Springs Tribes operate a parallel tribal fisheries program managing salmon, steelhead, and lamprey in the Deschutes River basin under the Treaty of 1855. Shares Yakama Nation's hybrid treaty authority / federal co-management model and reintroduction focus on anadromous species.
• Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation - Fisheries: CTUIR fisheries program manages tribal restoration of salmon, steelhead, and lamprey in the Umatilla and Walla Walla basins under similar treaty authority, with comparable hatchery, passage, and habitat restoration projects supported by BPA and Fish Accords funding.

Emerging players

• Trout Unlimited: Trout Unlimited is a national coldwater conservation nonprofit actively working on Columbia and Snake basin habitat restoration, dam removals, and salmon recovery projects. Comparable on habitat restoration scope and federal funding model, though operating from a non-tribal advocacy posture.

Broad incumbents

• Bonneville Power Administration: BPA is the primary federal funder of Columbia Basin salmon mitigation under the Northwest Power Act and Fish Accords. While not a peer in the operational sense, BPA's funding decisions directly determine the scale and scope of Yakama Nation Fisheries' restoration program.
• NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region: NOAA Fisheries is the federal co-manager responsible for ESA listings, biological opinions, and Pacific salmon recovery planning across the Columbia Basin. It both funds and regulates Yakama Nation Fisheries, and shapes the regional salmon recovery framework the program operates within.
• Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: WDFW is the state co-manager of Yakima and Klickitat fisheries with Yakama Nation under the Yakima Klickitat Fisheries Project. It operates the broader statewide fisheries and habitat program and is a regulatory and operational counterpart on hatchery reforms and salmon recovery.
• Pacific Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NOAA): NOAA's Pacific Northwest Fisheries Science Center conducts applied fisheries research across the Columbia Basin, producing population dynamics, climate, and habitat analyses that parallel Yakama Nation Fisheries' biostatistics and modeling work. Operates as a research peer and co-manager.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/YakamaNationFisheries
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yakama-nation-fisheries

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Yakama Nation Fisheries