James retires after 40 years at Fisheries Program

Gary James, the first manager of the CTUIR Fisheries Program, retired in March after 40 years of salmon-recovery progress in the Umatilla, Grande Ronde and Walla Walla rivers, as well as several tributaries.

James was feted by Tribal leaders, staff and friends, Oregon

Continued on Page 5B

Bonifer named Fisheries Program manager

Jerimiah Bonifer has been hired to succeed Gary James as Fisheries Program manager in the Department of Natural Resources of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Director Eric Quaempts announced the hiring April 5. Bonifer will begin his new duties on April 17.

In announcing the development, Director Quaempts

Continued on Page 2B

Bonifer continued from 1B said, “Jerimiah has 15 years of dedicated and progressive work history with DNR Fisheries, and takes seriously our responsibility to serve the CTUIR community. Jeremiah’s hard work, dedication to Fisheries resources, and perseverance have guided him throughout his career, and I look forward to his energy and continued success as the DNR Fisheries Program Manager.”

Bonifer, a member of the CTUIR, has been a Fisheries Biologist and an active tribal hunter and fisherman. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Science from Oregon State University as well as a Master’s Certificate in Fisheries Management. He has worked within the Fisheries Program, primarily monitoring salmon and steelhead populations for the past 15 years through a variety of techniques. Bonifer also participates in a variety of collaborative working groups involving local, state, federal, and tribal entities.

Bonifer and his wife of 15 years, Mindy, and children Hayden, 15, and Abi, 12 often find themselves on a seasonal rotation of camping, fishing, hunting, and gathering First Foods. When not in the outdoors, it’s likely they can be found traveling for family vacations to somewhere tropical. Both Hayden and Abi are active in sports, so the baseball diamond and volleyball courts are familiar spots to see his family.

Having grown up fishing on the Umatilla River and its tributaries, Bonifer says “I’m fortunate to be in a career field I wanted my whole life. I have a family history tied to the lands of the CTUIR, where my family and I have hunted, fished, and gathered First Foods for generations.”

Bonifer expressed his gratitude to the Department of Natural Resources and the Fisheries program for this opportunity.

“I could not be in the position that I am today, without the leadership of those surrounding me. I look forward to the opportunity to continue the success of the CTUIR DNR Fisheries Program towards the protection, restoration, and resiliency of tribal First Foods for generations to come,” he said.

The CTUIR DNR Fisheries Program includes about 75 full time employees, an annual budget of about $27 million dollars, and harvest, monitoring, habitat acquisition and restoration projects, and fish propagation and rearing facilities throughout the CTUIR’s extensive areas of rights and interest in the Columbia Basin. The Mission of the Fisheries Program is “To provide sustainable harvest opportunities for aquatic species of the first food order by protecting, conserving, and restoring native aquatic populations and their habitats.”