NOPLE & Salmon

• Salmon Slides
• The NOPLE Geographic Area
• NOPLE Stakeholders Roster
• NOPLE Organization and Process
• NOPLE Membership Roster

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NOPLE Organization and Process

Salmon Recovery Act

In 1998, the Washington State Legislature passed the Salmon Recovery Act (HB 2496, now codified along with several amendments under RCW 77.85), to address the decline of salmon in this state. The Salmon Recovery Act set up the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) and the Lead Entity Program. Washington State is one of the recipients of the yearly allocated federal Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. The Washington State legislature allocates a certain portion of these funds to the SRFB. The SRFB allocates these funds to salmon habitat recovery projects based on a competitive "SRFB grant" process, that is coordinated locally by the respective lead entities. Each lead entity is responsible for coordinating the process of identifying and prioritizing salmon recovery projects within certain geographical boundaries. The North Olympic Peninsula Lead Entity Group (NOPLE) is one of these lead entities. For the NOPLE geographical area, click here.

NOPLE LEG, TRG & CFG.

NOPLE consists of two organizational groups and four citizen groups.

The NOPLE Lead Entity Group (LEG) is a policy group composed of government staff appointees. Each of the ten individuals in the LEG is appointed by one of the ten entities that make up NOPLE: 1) Clallam County, 2) Jefferson County, 3) Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, 4) Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, 5) Makah Tribe, 6) Quileute Tribe, 7) Hoh Tribe, 8) City of Sequim, 9) City of Port Angeles, and 10) City of Forks. The LEG meets monthly and uses socio-political and community interest criteria and factors when considering Technical Review Group (TRG) and Citizen Facilitation Group (CFG) recommendations in updating the NOPLE Strategy, and when considering TRG and CFG scores, ranks and comments in finalizing the prioritized project list to be submitted to the SRFB. For a Roster of LEG Members, click here.

The NOPLE Technical Review Group (TRG) is composed of scientists or people with unusual knowledge of local salmon and their habitat. The TRG consists of thirteen individuals: each of the ten NOPLE entities appoints one, and the LEG appoints three at-large positions. Current members include tribal, state and local government biologists, a geologist, a utility engineer, and several citizens with extensive local and historical knowledge. The TRG meets monthly to develop and recommend NOPLE Strategy updates based on scientific and technical criteria and factors, to provide technical assistance and feedback to SRFB applicants, and to provide the CFGs and LEG with scores, ranks and comments on proposed SRFB projects. For a Roster of TRG Members, click here.

The NOPLE Citizen Facilitation Groups (CFGs) are composed of people who have general interests in salmon recovery or who have specific concerns about projects or streams. As residents, often they are most aware of specific stream or river conditions, such as blockages, culverts or large woody debris projects that would enhance the life cycle of salmon on their stream or river. There are currently four CFGs, one each for WRIA 19 and WRIA 20, and two for WRIA 18, which are the Dungeness River Management Team (DRMT) and the Elwha Morse Management Team (EMMT). CFGs generally meet monthly and provide feedback and input on NOPLE Strategy updates, develop potential projects, and provide the LEG with scores, ranks and comments on proposed SRFB projects within their geographic area.

Stakeholders, as defined by the LEG, are those that have a direct interest or responsibility in a watershed or nearshore area. They include landowners, fish interest organizations, governments, co-managers (tribes and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)), individual fish experts, and project sponsors (see list-under-construction of NOPLE stakeholders). Stakeholders are provided three opportunities to participate in the development of the lists, including:

• Direct involvement;
• Submission of Project Ideas for a geographical unit(s); and
• Review of the draft lists contained within this document.