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Shellfish – clams, oysters, crab, shrimp, urchin, and many other species
– has been a mainstay of the tribes for thousands of years. Readily available
year round, shellfish could be harvested, cured, and stored with relative
ease to supplement fresh foods, like salmon or game.
Today, shellfish remain a vital component of Indian life. With the decline
in some wild and hatchery salmon populations, many tribal economies are shifting
focus toward shellfish harvesting to supplement income.
The Point No Point Treaty Area, including Hood Canal and the Strait of Juan
de Fuca, is one of the most productive shellfish growing and harvesting areas in
the Pacific Northwest. Hood Canal in particular has tremendous populations of
clams, oysters, and shrimp.
Western Washington tribes’ rights to harvest shellfish were re-affirmed in
1994 by federal district court Judge Edward Rafeedie. The judge ruled that the
tribes expressly reserved the right to continue harvesting shellfish when they
signed treaties with government representatives in the 1850s. Rafeedie’s
decision, along with a plan for implementing the ruling, was affirmed by the
U.S. Supreme Court in 1999 when the high court refused to hear challenges to the
ruling.
The tribes employ professional shellfish management personnel, including
shellfish biologists, harvest monitors, technicians, and enforcement officers to
ensure harvests occur according to plan.
Other shellfish from the tribes usual and accustomed area added for
informational purposes.
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