Indigenous people have deep and sustained connections to place. Knowledge of the environment has been and continues to be, critical in supporting and maintaining resilient and thriving communities. Indigenous aquaculture enhances seafood productivity in localized coastal areas and increases food security. Lummi Indian School of Aquaculture (LISA), founded in 1973, was a single-purpose training program to prepare technicians for employment in Tribal-owned and operated fish and shellfish hatcheries throughout the United States and Canada. LISA provided the foundation for Northwest Indian College (NWIC). Today the Bachelor of Science in Native Environmental Science (BSNES) program at NWIC focuses on curriculum that is place-based, experiential, and culturally grounded. By drawing on the deep and sustained connections to place and commitment to environmental protection, the BSNES program strengthens students understanding and development of a sense of place, relationality, inquiry, and communication skills. Upon successful completion of this program, students will value the relationality and the interrelationships between people and the environment, be able to ground and apply concepts and methodologies to place, demonstrate self-location, and use Indigenous theories and methods to conduct inquiry-based research that promotes Indigenous self-determination and the restoration and revitalization of the environment. Highlighting the BSNES Program shows how Tribal Colleges and Universities play an integral role in deepened the integration of traditional knowledge with modern aquaculture science.