Overview
The Western Native Trout Initiative (WNTI) is a public-private Fish Habitat Partnership that works collaboratively across 12 western states to conserve (protect, restore, and enhance) 21 native trout and char species. Formed in 2006 under the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA), WNTI provides a new perspective and impetus to improve the return on investment of the time, money and workforce dedicated to native trout conservation.
WNTI is a collaborative, multi-state approach that requires the involvement of a wide range of partners – from public agencies to private individuals to conservation-minded organizations and corporations. WNTI and our partners combine science-based assessments with expert and local knowledge to establish joint priorities for native trout conservation at a landscape scale. The Partnership plays an important role in conserving water in the West for future generations.
Since its inception in 2006, the Western Native Trout Initiative has directed over $6 million in federal fish habitat funds leveraged with over $47.6 million public and private matching dollars for 223 priority native trout conservation projects. With the collaboration and coordination of WNTI Partners, together we have removed 138 barriers to fish passage, reconnected or improved 1,741 miles of native trout habitat, and placed 41 protective fish barriers to conserve important native trout conservation populations. In order to ensure our collaborative investments are directed toward the highest priority projects, WNTI has funded over 1,123 watershed, fish population, and habitat surveys. Read our 2022 annual report.
