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Tribal Clam Harvesting on Hood Canal
photo by Emmett O'Connell
 

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.

For more information on shellfish species click here Natural Resources