29 june 2004
Media Contact:
Kahseuss Jackson,
Business Specialist,
(503) 731-1279
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Direct
from tribal fishers: sockeye salmon!
Portland, Oregon
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Add sockeye to the 2004 Columbia River Indian salmon harvest. With
the 10th largest sockeye run returning to the Columbia basin since
1960, the Nez Perce, Umatilla, Warm Springs and Yakama tribes have
authorized over-the-bank sales beginning Wednesday, June 30.
But hurry: The current summer commercial tribal harvest –
most prominently including sockeye, Chinook and steelhead –
ends July 31. The bulk of sockeye sales will wind up during the
next two weeks.
Folks can savor fresh catch from tribal fishers at points along
the Columbia River banks in areas including Marine Park in Cascade
Locks; Lone Pine in The Dalles; North Bonneville, a mile east of
Bonneville Dam; and Columbia Point in Washington's Tri-Cities area.
Sockeye salmon, which typically return from the sea to freshwater
in June through mid-July, boasted historical runs as large as 3
million fish. Biologists predict this year's run of about 115,000
sockeye will comprise the 10th largest since 1960 and the second
largest in a decade. Tribal fishers, however, plan a limited harvest
of a little more than 8,000 sockeye.
The Indian salmon harvest reflects age-old traditions cemented by
an 1855 treaty between the four Columbia Basin tribes and the U.S.
federal government. Nutrient-rich salmon, flush with heart-healthful
omega-3 fatty acids, figure prominently in native culture. Tribal
members have long honored its importance for food, religion and
livelihood.
Indian fishers and scientists also link salmon's importance with
stewardship, working to restore once-robust runs decimated by dam
construction and other challenges. Tribal staff and the Columbia
River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission developed the restoration plan
Wy-Kan-Ush-Mi Wa-Kish-Wit, or "Spirit of the Salmon,"
to help replenish Columbia Basin fisheries.
All this makes for a brief period to experience the Columbia River
Indian salmon harvest. So grab the car keys, bring a fish-holding
cooler with ice and keep the following tips in mind:
- Sales from tribal fishers generally run 10 a.m. to dusk through
July 31, but the amount of available fish will decrease with each
passing week.
- Sales sites are along the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam
in Oregon to the Tri-Cities in Washington.
- Most sales are cash only.
- Buyers should request a receipt.
- Tribal fishers can advise on topics including fish freshness
and preparation.
- Times, days and locations might vary with vendors. Call the
Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission's toll-free recording
at (888) 289-1855 for details.
- Questions? Call Kahseuss Jackson at CRITFC's Portland office,
(503) 238-0667, or learn more online by clicking "2004
Summer Salmon Harvest" at www.critfc.org.
# # # #
About CRITFC
The Portland-based Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission is
the technical support and coordinating agency for fishery management
policies of the Columbia River Basin's four treaty tribes: the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes
of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes
and Bands of the Yakama Nation and the Nez Perce Tribe.
CRITFC, formed in 1977, employs biologists, other scientists, public
information specialists, policy analysts and administrators who work
in fisheries research and analyses, advocacy, planning and coordination,
harvest control and law enforcement. |
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