About Us > The Authority
The Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority is an organization whose membership consists of the four state and two federal fish and wildlife management entities and eleven indian tribes of the Columbia River Basin. Our members are the legally recognized managers of the fish and wildlife resources. These responsibilities are theirs through federal and state statutes, treaties and court actions.
The members established the Authority by charter in 1987 to:
Coordinate the efforts of its members to protect and enhance fish and wildlife resources of the Basin through joint planning and action
Provide an open forum for its members to exchange information on matters affecting anadromous and resident fish, wildlife resources, and habitat concerns in the Basin and develop unified positions
Assure comprehensive planning and implementation of the Northwest Power & Conservation Council's Fish and Wildlife Program
Improve the quality of fish and wildlife decision making
Influence other regional decision makers
The members identified three general objectives or areas of involvement through the Authority
Coordinate the fish and wildlife activities of interagency and tribal concern
Facilitate interagency and tribal involvement in the implementation of the Northwest Power Planning Council's Fish and Wildlife Program
Interact with the water and land planning and management authorities of the Columbia River Basin
The Authority is a consensus organization. All actions supported by CBFWA are developed through a consensus process and only consensus positions are communicated on Authority letterhead. Consensus focuses the agency and tribal actions into a single direction, providing the Northwest Power Planning Council and the Bonneville Power Administration with recommendations representing the best available information from the fish and wildlife managers.
CBFWA New Directions Workplan (10/1/2004)