Law enforcement is an integral and essential component of natural resource management.  Enforcement of existing fish, wildlife and habitat regulations is needed to insure compliance rates and protect fish stocks, wildlife populations and their critical habitats.  Coordination of State and Tribal government operations, public awareness and public participation are all benefits of natural resource enforcement.

A CTUIR Fish and Wildlife Enforcement division will provide two enforcement officers for enforcement activities on 1855 Treaty reserved mainstems and tributaries.  Coordination between all jurisdictions involved in the enforcement effort will increase effectiveness and alleviate duplication of efforts.  Officers will enforce fisheries and habitat regulations on reservation and ceded lands.  Enforcement officers will protect anadromous fish, resident fish and critical habitats on reservation and ceded lands.  An organized evaluation of desired and actual achievement (budget, personnel, equipment, coordination, contacts, warnings, arrests, seizures and critical habitat protected) will analyze the impact of the program.

Increased enforcement presence will act as a deterrent to illegal activity and public awareness programs will increase support and understanding of the goals of the program.  Increased survival rates of both juvenile and adult salmonids and protection of critical habitats are the goal of this program.

Enforcement plays a vital role for the protection of the investments made by BPA, past, present and future projects.