By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News
On the waters of Puget Sound, where conditions can turn dangerous in minutes, Tulalip’s Fish and Wildlife crews operate as both enforcers and first responders, often arriving before anyone else when lives are on the line.
A Search and Rescue meeting, held on Friday, May 15, at the Hibulb Cultural Center, focused on fisheries operations, safety protocols, and Tulalip crews’ emergency response across the region.
Bernie Edge, boat operator supervisor for Tulalip’s Fish and Wildlife, said, “We respond to just about any call we get. It doesn’t matter if you are tribal or not. If you are in trouble on the water, you don’t care who comes.”
Each year, all vessels in the Tulalip fleet must pass safety inspections before heading out, ensuring crews operate safely and in compliance with regulations. Their coverage stretches from Alki to the Canadian border, placing them in a position to respond across much of Puget Sound.
Edge said every trip begins with a full pre-launch check using a system called Vector, ensuring engines, fluids, safety gear, and fishing equipment are all in working order. Crews also verify that gear meets regulations, from net sizes to crab gear being properly marked.
Fishing rules shift with the season. During king salmon openings, incidental catches like coho or sockeye may still be kept, while crab harvesting requires stricter checks on only male crab at least 6.4 inches with hard shells that are retained.
On the water, communication is constant. Crews monitor multiple radio channels, including one dedicated to emergencies, enabling them to respond quickly to distress calls. Over the past several years, they have assisted multiple vessels, including boats taking on water.
With crews operating from the Seattle area to the San Juan Islands and as far north as Blaine, response time often comes down to proximity and readiness.
“In my mind, I feel like we have the best response time of anybody in the Puget Sound,” Edge said. “We are very good at what we do, and we know this area.”
He said that advantage comes down to preparation.
“The difference between them and us is that our boats are already in the water, sitting at the dock, ready to go. Some agencies have boats on trailers, so their activation time can be 30 to 45 minutes. By the time they’re getting their boats in the water, we already have two people underway.”
In Puget Sound, where water temperatures average around 48 degrees, minutes matter.
“After about 10 minutes, your body starts to shut down, and your arms and legs stop working. Around the 11- or 12-minute mark, people start to panic. If you have a life jacket on, your chances are much higher, but without one, it gets dangerous fast.”
Those quick responses have saved lives.
“There are four or five tribal fishermen that these guys have pulled out of the water, and they are alive today because of our response time.”
Edge said calling Tulalip dispatch directly can make a difference when time is critical.
“If you go through the normal channels and call 911, by the time it gets to us, you’re probably already eight or nine minutes in. In some cases, that could be 15 to 20 minutes in the water.”
Tulalip Tribal Police Dispatch can be reached at (360) 716-4608 for emergencies on the water within their coverage area.
Edge also cited a recent tsunami warning as an example of how tribal crews coordinate under pressure, with Fish and Wildlife, emergency management, and tribal leaders working together across the region.
“If my kid were out there that afternoon, he would not be going down there. That’s for our safety reasons,” he said. “Most of the tribes and enforcement worked together on that to keep the canoes safe. It was a good experience, but it was hard.”
Limited cell service made communication difficult, forcing crews to move to specific areas just to make contact.
“You had to walk to certain areas to talk to people. I couldn’t get a phone signal in the back,” he said.
Angel Cortez of Tulalip Emergency Management said the situation highlighted the level of coordination required across agencies.
“That was a learning experience for a lot of people, but it also showed how our Fish and Wildlife, our emergency managers, and our tribal leaders really coordinated. We were working with the state, NOAA, and the Coast Guard. If we didn’t have our people out there, it could have been a different story.”
That coordination ensured canoes were pulled from the water, people moved to higher ground, and camps remained accounted for throughout the warning.
Bernie Edge said the program has long focused on search and rescue, with many crew members trained in water rescue techniques.
“We’re a search and rescue program. There are a lot of us who have been through water rescue training, going back to around 2004. We always have at least two guys on a boat with us, ready to respond if needed,” he said.
He added that experience on the water shapes how crews respond in critical moments.
“It usually takes those real moments to see how bad things can get out there,” he said. “It’s a close, family-style situation. We see each other from different tribes and places, season after season. That builds trust and confidence, knowing someone will answer the call when help is needed.”
For Edge, “It’s not just about the tribal community. It’s about respect and safety on the water, knowing that someone is out there and has your back.”