Who We Serve
The Branch of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Recreation (BFWR) works through Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) regional offices and local agencies to provide support to Tribes in their management of important fish and wildlife Trust resources either on, or off-reservation. BFWR programs can generally be divided into two groups: non-competitive programs and competitive programs.
Non-competitive programs provide non-discretionary funding to Tribes to support services either protected by treaties, enacted by Congress, or court ordered. BFWR non-competitive programs include:
- Tribal Management/Development Program (TMDP)
- Alaska Subsistence Program (a competitively-funded component of TMDP)
- Rights Protection Implementation (RPI) Program
Competitive programs each support specific natural resource management purposes and award funding to project proposals submitted by Tribes. Project proposals must meet eligibility criteria and are awarded funding based on how well proposals meet eligibility and ranking criteria. BFWR competitive programs include:
- Invasive Species Program
- Fish Hatchery Maintenance Program
- Endangered Species Program
- Conservation Law Enforcement Officer Program
- Alaska Subsistence Program (a competitively-funding component of the non-competitive TMDP)
- Tribal Youth Initiative
Services We Provide
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About the Branch of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Recreation
The Branch of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Recreation (BFWR) funds Tribal activities in the areas of fisheries, hatcheries, wildlife, outdoor recreation, conservation enforcement, and other related fields.
Funding is sub-allotted to Tribes through a local priority setting process determined by a Tribe and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
The activities that can be conducted are determined by Tribes and cover a broad array of fisheries, wildlife, conservation enforcement, endangered species, invasive species, habitat management, and related focus areas. Tribes conduct independent program planning, implementation, and evaluation; only BIA functions are considered federal in nature.
BFWR supports program-related federal appropriations through budgetary processes, manages program funding processes in a fair and equitable manner, responds to budget/program inquiries, and participates in program-specific workgroups and other forums.
Central Office Staff
David Wooten / Chief, Branch of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Recreation
- Email: david.wooten@bia.gov
- Office Phone: (505) 563-3128
Ryan Portalatin / Fish & Wildlife Resource Specialist
- Email: ryan.portalatin@bia.gov
- Office Phone: (505) 270-4904
Jordan Matula / Natural Resource Specialist
- Email: jordan.matula@bia.gov
- Office Phone: (505) 270-5368
