Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe

The Port Gamble S’Klallam reservation covers 1,340 acres. Over half of the nearly 2,000 enrolled tribal members live on the reservation. Port Gamble Bay, the tribe’s ancestral home, has proven to be more resilient than other nearby water bodies, but it still carries a load of toxins from the Pope & Talbot sawmill, which operated on the bank for over 150 years.

Port Gamble S'Klallam Area of Concern:

The Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe works in a large area of northern Hood Canal and WRIA 17. Water quality in Hood Canal is at risk, and measurements show increased episodes of hypoxia in addition to temperature and fecal coliform issues in surrounding waterways. Nearly half of the shoreline in the area has been modified, reducing habitat for forage fish. Much of the nearby land is under private ownership, so landowner cooperation is critical to restoration efforts, which have focused on shoreline and estuary habitat. The tribe plans to increase collaborative efforts with other organizations, and focus on gathering data about early life history of juvenile marine and forage fish.

Natural Resource Management:

  • The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe is working with the Puget Sound Restoration Fund to restore kelp and oyster beds. The tribe relies on shellfish from Port Gamble bay for cultural events and sustenance.
  • In September 2011, the tribe began using a SONAR device to study nearshore areas in Hood Canal and Admiralty Inlet. The device can sense fish in the top 15 feet of the water column, and is useful in areas where nets are not feasible.
  • In 2010, the tribe participated in a worldwide coastal biodiversity census with the Natural Geography In-Shore Areas (NaGISA) project. Their data was added to a central database including information from over 280 groups.
  • In 2005 the tribe performed an extensive project to assess salmon habitat in the Dosewallips River, producing a report detailing the results of aerial and ground surveys in the main river and secondary channels.

Map of Tribal Lands

Port Gamble S’klallam Tribe
31912 Little Boston Road NE
Kingston, WA 98346
(360) 297-2646
FAX: (360) 297-7097

Port Gamble Natural Resources Office
31912 Little Boston Road NE
Kingston, WA 98346
(360) 297-4792
FAX: (360) 297-4791

Chairperson: Jeromy Sullivan
Natural Resources Director/Finfish Manager: Paul McCollum
Homepage:  http://www.pgst.nsn.us/

source: NWIFC