The tribal fishery is protected under 1855 treaties with the federal government, where the Yakama Nation, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Umatilla, and Nez Perce tribes reserved the right to fish at all usual and accustomed fishing places in the Columbia River Basin; a treaty right that reserves ceremonial, subsistence and commercial uses.

“The tribal commercial fishery is fundamental to the tribal community and local economy,” said Rob Lothrop, interim executive director for the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC). “It allows tribal fishers to support their families, continue their traditions and rebuild their communities by putting resources back into the local economies.”

Tribal fishers and the local river economies, stymied by the lower-then-predicted spring Chinook run, are eager to kick the fishery into gear. CRITFC estimates that for every $10 generated by fish sales, as much as $7 is placed back into local economies.

Pack the cooler with ice and enjoy the drive up the Columbia River Gorge. Tribal fishers may be found selling fish at a number of locations along the river: Marine Park at Cascade Locks, Lone Pine at The Dalles and the boat launch near Roosevelt, Washington. Commercial sales will not occur on Corps of Engineers property at Bonneville Dam. To find out where the day’s catch is being sold, call CRITFC’s salmon marketing program at (888) 289-1855 or visit the website www.indiansalmonharvest.com. Price is determined at the point of sale and sales are cash only.

The treaty and non-treaty fisheries will see some adjustments throughout the season as both are managed on actual run size and not simply pre-season forecasts. The current forecast of summer Chinook is 70,700 – enough for tribal fishers to harvest approximately 18,000 summer Chinook, much of which will be sold commercially. Tribal and non-tribal harvest rates have been agreed to as part of the U.S. v. Oregon Management Agreement.