The Northwest Region administers National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service programs off the coasts of Oregon and Washington, and in the vast inland watershed habitats of Pacific salmon in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Its principal responsibility is implementing the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and recovering 28 populations of listed salmonids covering more than 47 percent of the land base of three states. (PDF 48KB)

The Northwest Region is also the lead for managing the West Coast groundfish fishery with the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The Groundfish Fishery Management Plan covers a multi-species complex of 90+ species from Mexico to Canada. The fishery is overcapitalized and the Secretary of Commerce declared a fishery disaster in January 2000.

The Region has experienced increased activity with marine mammals over the past few years, under its mandate to monitor and conserve them through implementation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act. More than 20 marine mammal species occur in the region, with seven of them listed under the ESA and one designated depleted under the MMPA.

The Northwest Regional Office in Seattle has eight field offices: Lacey and Ellensburg, Wash.; Portland, Roseburg and LaGrande, Ore.; and Boise, Salmon and Grangeville, Idaho.