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Science & Technology

Science and technology form the foundation of successful fish and aquatic resource conservation and management and must be used to structure and implement monitoring and evaluation programs that are critical to determining the success of management actions. The Service is committed to following established principles of sound science.

Sound science requires extensive peer review by scientists and managers who are qualified to evaluate the activities, results, and conclusions of the Fisheries Program and to provide constructive feedback to make positive and defendable changes to Fisheries Program activities, when appropriate. Policies and protocols that provide guidance to ensure the application of sound science are also essential for establishing science standards and meeting the increasingly sophisticated needs and expectations of the Service and Tribes, states, partners, and other stakeholders.

The Fisheries Program through Abernathy Fish Technology Center, Columbia River Fisheries Program Office and our other fisheries facilities work closely with many scientific partners to improve connections between science delivery and fishery management needs. These partners include: U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Research Division, Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units, Fish Passage Center, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s Independent Scientific Advisory Board, and many other research partners.

The regional goal is to ensure science developed and used by the Fisheries Program for aquatic resource conservation, restoration, and management is state-of-the-art, scientifically sound, and legally defensible; scientific and technological advances in fisheries science developed by the Fisheries Program are available to other Service programs, Tribes, states, partners, and other stakeholders.

This year the Service met this goal through the following examples:

• Provide technical assistance to Tribes
• Identify sources of funds to enhance Tribal resource management
• Provide fish for Tribal resource management
• Recognize and promote the Service's distinct obligations toward Tribes within the Fisheries Program
• Develop and share applied aquatic scientific and technologic tools with partners
• Utilize appropriate scientific and technologic tools in formulating and executing fishery management plans and policies