Tribal and state fisheries co-managers have consolidated fish distribution data into a new interactive map tool called the Statewide Washington Integrated Fish Distribution (SWIFD).
NWIFC’s Salmon and Steelhead Habitat Inventory and Assessment Program (SSHIAP) has spent the past two years merging its data with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW).
The tool maps the distribution of fish statewide, including all species of salmon as well as sturgeon, whitefish, walleye, bass and others. The public can access the map at maps.nwifc.org/swifd.
Tribal and state biologists can add new information to the map. “For example, the Puyallup Tribe has data about upper reach cutthroat that they can input,” said Bruce Jones, SSHIAP section manager.
“We’re going to have a single source of fish distribution data for future habitat analysis,” Jones said. “As lead entities plan salmon recovery, they can look up fish distribution and not have to worry that there is a discrepancy between state and tribal data sets.”
Biologists who do not work for either a tribe or WDFW can submit new fish distribution data to WDFW to be included. SSHIAP is organizing SWIFD trainings for tribal staff throughout the region.
For more information, contact: Bruce Jones, SSHIAP Section Manager, NWIFC, at 360-528-4369 or Brodie Cox, Biological Data Systems Manager, WDFW at 360-902-2776.
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