Family Forest Fish Passage
Program (FFFPP)
The Family Forest Fish Passage Program provides funding to small forest landowners to repair or remove fish passage barriers.
Small forest landowners own about 4 million acres of forests in Washington––about half the private forestland in the state. These family forests are home to thousands of miles of fish-bearing streams and play a key role in helping Washington restore its once thriving fish populations. A single barrier on a stream can keep fish from reaching many miles of many miles of upstream spawning and rearing habitat.
As part of Washington's salmon recovery efforts, all private forest owners are required to fix artificial, in-stream fish barriers by 2016.
In May 2003, the state Legislature committed to helping small forest landowners pay for these repairs by creating the Family Forest Fish Passage Program. Landowners enrolled in the program will not be required to fix their fish blockages until the state can provide financial assistance.
Landowners not enrolled in the program, must fix the blockage at their own expense by 2016 and any future Forest Practices Application for timber harvest could be denied until the barrier is corrected.
For details, visit the Washington Department of Natural Resources’ Small Forest Landowner Office.
