Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
Fall 2010 NWIFCnwifc.org News
Inside: ■ Surprising Sockeye Fishery ■ Seeking Native Olympias ■ Junior Scientists Shine ■ Tribes Restore Estuaries ■ Prepping For Elwha Dam Removal ■ Clam Bed Enhancement
Being Frank NWIFC News
Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission Strength in Sharing 6730 Martin Way E. By Billy Frank Jr. Olympia, WA 98516 NWIFC Chairman (360) 438-1180 From bear grass to huckleberries to cedar and more, it’s get- ting harder and harder for the treaty Indian tribes in western NWIFC News is published quarterly. Free Washington to find and access natural resources that are cen- subscriptions are available. This edition is tral to our culture. also online at nwifc.org. Articles in NWIFC We need the traditional foods, News may be reprinted. medicines and materials that make us who we are. Like salmon, shell- NWIFC Chairman fish and wildlife, these things are part Billy Frank Jr. of us as Indian people. They were so important to us that we reserved our Executive Director right to gather them when we signed Mike Grayum treaties with the U.S. government. Traditional foods are especially Information and Education Services important to Indian people today. Al- Division Manager most every one of us knows a person Tony Meyer or a family who suffers from diabe- tes or some other illness – a lot of the Regional Information Officers time caused by a lack of traditional Debbie Preston, Coast foods in our diet. Emmett O’Connell, South Sound Our weavers, carvers and other artists work to help keep our Tiffany Royal, Hood Canal/Strait of Juan de Fuca Kari Neumeyer, North Sound culture alive, but they are having a difficult time finding the materials they need. Cedar trees are disappearing to develop- Editorial Assistant ment while other important plants are being damaged or killed Sheila McCloud by pollution. We are encouraged by recent meetings with National Parks NWIFC Member Tribes: Hoh, Service officials to discuss how we can access park lands to Jamestown S’Klallam, Lower Elwha Klallam, exercise our treaty gathering rights. Tribal access today is lim- Lummi Nation, Makah, Muckleshoot, ited and varies from park to park. We are committed to work- Nisqually, Nooksack, Port Gamble ing with the National Parks Service to ensure proper manage- S’Klallam, Puyallup, Quileute, Quinault ment of these lands so that we can return to places where we Indian Nation, Sauk-Suiattle, Skokomish, have always harvested. Squaxin Island, Stillaguamish, Suquamish, Out on the coast, the Makah Tribe recently celebrated a 600- Swinomish, Tulalip and Upper Skagit year-old cedar tree they received from the state Department of Natural Resources through the non-profit Potlatch Fund. The Tribal contact information is available tree was growing on state land outside the tribe’s reservation under Member Tribes at nwifc.org. but within the Makah traditional gathering area. That big cedar tree is us. All of us. And it’s teaching us about Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/nwifc sharing. Sharing makes us all stronger. and on Twitter: @NWIFC In July, the Makah shared gifts created from the giant tree at the Tribal Canoe Journey in Neah Bay. This annual celebra- tion of our culture is hosted by a different tribe every year, and many of those who make the trip travel in cedar canoes. It is the nature of Indian people to share. We have shared our land, water and other resources since the first non-Indians ar- rived in this region. Today we need that same kind of sharing On the cover: Major Smith, foreground, wel- so that we can continue to harvest the natural resources that comes the Tulalip canoe, Salish Spirit, to Neah Bay as Roy Pablo, in red, sings an arrival song keep ourselves and our culture alive and strong. during the Tribal Canoe Journey. D. Preston
Fraser River Sockeye
LargestBut one huge Return run doesn’t make in up Nearly for decades ofa poor Century fishing A massive run of Fraser lion sockeye, but fell short River sockeye salmon this of their total allocation of the year provided a dream fish- enormous run. ery for tribal fishermen, but “It was a once-in-a-lifetime can’t begin to make up for fishery for many of our fish- decades of poor returns that ermen, but we couldn’t catch have devastated the tribal all of the fish in our alloca- fishing economy. tion,” Loomis said. “After More than three times as nearly two decades of little many sockeye returned to the to no fishing on Fraser River Fraser as were expected, but sockeye, we have lost quite a tribes were unable to reach few of our tribal purse sein- their harvest goals because of ers.” a diminished fishing fleet, de- The larger purse seine ves- layed realization of the run’s sels are the most effective magnitude, the diversion of means of catching sockeye, the run through Canadian but they are more expensive waters and overloaded pro- to operate than smaller gillnet cessors. boats. The run of 34 million sock- “The best season I’ve had eye was the largest since before this was a third of what 1913, but is not a sign of a I caught this year,” said Lum- resurgence. mi fisherman Carl Lane. Lane “Based on the informa- has relied on crab and chum tion we have, we expect poor fishing during slow sockeye sockeye returns for the next years to keep his purse seiner three years,” said Lorraine Marathon in operation. Loomis, Swinomish fisheries “I’ve never seen this kind manager and tribal represen- of fish in my life,” he added. tative to the Pacific Salmon “I don’t expect we’ll ever see Commission, which manages anything like this again.” the Fraser sockeye run for the A cautious conservation
United States and Canada. management approach to K. Neumeyer Last year, fisheries in the the fishery also contributed Suquamish tribal fishermen use a purse seine to catch Fraser River United States and Canada to the tribes’ not harvesting sockeye salmon in the San Juan Islands in August. were canceled after only 1 their full share. The returning million of the forecast 10 mil- sockeye were running about a land are harvested primarily overloaded,” Loomis said. “It lion Fraser sockeye returned. week later than expected, and by Canadian fishermen. took a lot of time to unload Nine treaty tribes in west- it took several days to gauge Early in the season, most the sockeye, which meant ern Washington have trea- the enormity of the run. By of the sockeye returned to less time for fishing.” ty-reserved rights to catch that time, the window of har- the Fraser River via the Treaty tribal fishermen Fraser River sockeye in vest opportunity for the tribes west coast of Vancouver Is- haven’t caught more than 1 U.S. waters before they mi- was reduced. land, but by the time fisher- million sockeye since 1993. grate upstream. They are The late timing was com- ies managers were certain of In 2007, the catch was fewer the Jamestown S’Klallam, pounded by the run’s diver- the run’s magnitude, most of than 6,000 fish. In 2008, there Lower Elwha Klallam, Lum- sion rate. Sockeye that mi- the fish had diverted through was a federal declaration of a mi, Nooksack, Makah, Port grate along the west coast of Johnstone Strait on the east fisheries disaster, and Fraser Gamble S’Klallam, Suqua- Vancouver Island are harvest- coast. sockeye tribes and state com- mish, Swinomish and Tulalip ed by treaty tribal and non- Another hindrance was the mercial fishermen were allo- tribes. Indian fishermen in western time it took to offload boats cated $2 million to compen- This year, treaty tribal fish- Washington. Fish returning at fish processing plants. sate for the loss of income. ermen caught about 1.2 mil- along the east coast of the is- “The fish processors were – K. Neumeyer
Tribal Canoe Journey Makah Proudly Displays Whaling Culture Tribal members share with others their pride and history
D. Preston (3) Left: A woman dressed in regalia takes pictures of the canoes coming to the beach in Neah Bay dur- ing the Tribal Canoe Journey. Above: Makah tribal member Evan Bowechop, one of four dancers who emerged from the Makah whale puppet, dances for the hundreds of spectators during the final day of the Tribal Journey.
ith thunderous applause ringing in his ears, Makah tribal councilman Micah McCarty meditated inside the Wstifling heat of a 30-foot-long whale puppet. He and three other Makah dancers inside the whale had to keep their focus on what was about to come. The event was the culmination of have our treaty right honored.” crowd roared its approval, the whale’s a week-long celebration of the 2010 Once the massive wood and fabric mouth opened and one by one, dancers Tribal Canoe Journey in July. Eighty- whale was wheeled into the perfor- emerged in wolf masks and regalia. six canoes from tribes in the United mance space, tribal members called for Eleven years ago, the tribe harvested States, Canada and a few other coun- the dancers to come out. The whale’s its first gray whale in nearly a century, tries traveled to the Makah reservation tail and pectoral fins moved, the eyes resurrecting a cultural cornerstone and at Neah Bay. rolled, and from the blow hole, a white celebrating a treaty-protected right. The Makah Tribe has always been mist jetted toward the ceiling. As the Since that time, the tribe has fought to a whaling people, and overcome a federal rul- on this night, the tribe ing preventing them from reminded those in atten- ‘We are continuing that course to have our whaling, by pursuing a dance that they still are. lengthy process to receive “We have not for- treaty right honored.’ an exemption from the gotten,” said Michael MICHAEL LAWRENCE, Marine Mammal Protec- Lawrence, Makah tribal Tribal Chairman, tion Act. chairman. “We are con- Makah The whale puppet was tinuing that course to similar to the one that the
Swadabs Park Prepared Makah Proudly Displays Whaling Culture for 2011 Journey Tribal members share with others their pride and history
K. Neumeyer Steve Hinton, restoration director for the Skagit River System Cooperative (SRSC), and ecologist Nora Kammer oversee improvements to Swad- abs Park. The SRSC is the natural resources arm of the Swinomish and Sauk-Suiattle Tribes.
During next summer’s Paddle to Swinom- ish, canoes will glide ashore onto a community beach that was created this summer in connec- tion with a marsh restoration project. The project is an expansion of Swadabs Park on the Swinomish Reservation. The tribe removed some of the spoils that were dumped on the reservation when the Swinomish Chan- nel was dredged 70 years ago. The spoils are A young teen in the Heiltsuk Nation’s Navigating All Life’s Adven- being repurposed to cover and protect an ar- tures canoe enjoys the view as they parade by the beach in Neah cheologically sensitive area and create a recre- Bay where the Makah Tribe welcomed 86 canoes. ational community beach. The excavation returns flooding to the marsh, allowing unrestricted movement of Makah performed with more than six “There was a lot of pride in the fact sediment, nutrients and fish. The Swinomish decades ago. that we have held on to what those el- Channel is an estuarine corridor connecting “Maria Pascua brought up that bit of ders and their ancestors believed was Padilla Bay to Skagit Bay, where salmon habi- history at one of our early Canoe Jour- important,” Lawrence said. tat is limited. ney planning meetings and the com- For hours, a large group of tribal In addition to restoring 3.3 acres of tidal munity embraced the idea,” McCarty members danced and sang for the salt marsh habitat, the tribe created a curved said. His great-grandfather, John, was hundreds in the audience. Many of soft shore landing site for canoes and kayaks, one of the last dancers to come from the Makah singers and dancers wore which will be the focal point of the 2011 Tribal that whale many years ago. whale-themed regalia. At times, there Canoe Journey, to be hosted by the Swinom- The Canoe Journey occurred dur- wasn’t enough room for all the danc- ish Tribe. ing a difficult time for the Makah. The ers. Swadabs is the Lushootseed language name tribe has lost a number of elders in the “It was so exciting to see so many for the Swinomish Tribe. Eventually, the past year. people participating. It really brought Swadabs Park beach project will include fea- Among them was Luke William us all together,” Lawrence said. tures such as restrooms, interpretive trails and “Turk” Markishtum III, 74, who passed The Tribal Canoe Journey will be a picnic shelter. – K. Neumeyer away the morning the canoes arrived. hosted by the Swinomish Tribe in “There were a lot of mixed emo- 2011. – D. Preston tions,” Lawrence said. For more photos from this year’s For many, sorrow was mixed with journey, go to http://go.nwifc.org/ca- the joy of seeing relatives and friends. noejourney.
RecreatingThe Squaxin Island Oakland Tribe John Konovsky, SquaxinBay Is- To Investigate Bacteria is building two miniature land Tribe’s environmental models of Oakland Bay to program manager. understand persistent pollu- “In a lab, we can recreate tion in the vital Puget Sound similar environmental con- shellfish growing area. ditions and track what the The tribe is trying to learn bacteria are doing more pre- more about harmful bacteria cisely,” he said. from failing septic systems Fecal coliform bacteria and livestock manure that come from human and ani- may become trapped on top mal waste, and can’t usu- of tideland sediments in up- ally survive long in salt wa- per Oakland Bay. ter. But if bacteria become “We think that instead of trapped on nutrient-rich dying off like they usually sediment particles, they may do, the bacteria are surviv- undergo a physiological re- ing and amplifying the pol- action that enables their sur- lution, particularly during vival, he said. the summer months,” said Tribal researchers are col- lecting polluted sediment E. O’Connell (2) from the bay for use in two Above: Squaxin Island Tribe’s John Konovsky and Rob Zisette 40-gallon aquariums. Twen- of Herrera Environmental Consultants observe a bacteria tank. Left: Scientists are studying how small cups filled with Oakland ty-four cups filled with sedi- Bay sediment react during summer months. ment from the tidelands will be subject to conditions sim- expose one set of cups, then and water quality, we hope ilar to the bay. Twice a day, the other. we can get a better idea of water levels in the aquari- “By recreating every as- how well these bacteria sur- ums will rise and fall like pect of the bay that would vive,” Konovsky said. the tides in Oakland Bay. impact the bacteria, down – E. O’Connell The “tide” gradually will to the temperature, sunlight
Seeking Rare Native Olympia Oysters The Squaxin Island Tribe is spreading oyster shells on a handful of intertidal beaches in a hunt for the off- spring of a tiny, rare native oyster. This fall, tribal re- searchers will come back to see if any young Olympia oysters have attached themselves to the shells. Like other shellfish, Olympia oysters are broadcast spawners. Young oysters float on the tide until they settle on a hard surface such as an old oyster shell. “There are a handful of areas on the island with small populations of Olympias, but we want to see where the oysters are spreading their seed,” said Eric Sparkman, the tribe’s shellfish biologist. “Hopefully, we’ll find the beginnings of good natural production in some ar- eas, meaning we can come back, expand our efforts E. O’Connell and possibly kickstart a self-sustaining population out Squaxin Island Tribe shellfish biologist Erik Sparkman pushes oysters off here.” a barge into Peel Passage, along shore of the island. Olympia oysters are the only oyster native to Puget Sound and were a mainstay in the Squaxin tribal diet “We have always depended on Olympia oysters,” until they largely disappeared almost 100 years ago said Andy Whitener, the tribe’s natural resources direc- because of pollution and competition from invasive tor. “They are an important food source.” shellfish species. – E. O’Connell
Recreating Oakland Bay To Investigate Bacteria Bringing Out the Jr. Scientist If children can envision themselves Using real-world science techniques, as scientists, they are more likely to be- the campers learned to identify phyto- come one of them. plankton, tidepool species and make That was the premise of the week- a plankton collection net out of panty- long Quinault Jr. Scientist Marine Day hose. Art factored in as well as stu- Camp held at the Quinault Indian Na- dents created T-shirts with their favorite tion’s (QIN) Taholah School this sum- ocean phytoplankton on it. The camp mer. The camp uses the marine environ- was sponsored by the QIN, a National ment surrounding the lives of coastal Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- tribal children to help spark enthusiasm tion outreach grant and a National Insti- for science. tute of Environmental Health Sciences grant. “It’s fun. We learned the foam stuff on the water is actually algae and some cause harmful algae blooms,” said Ol- ivia Rose, 13. “I’m learning about crea- tures I didn’t know about.” Jonnette Bastian-James, QIN tribal member and harmful algal bloom spe- cialist, spent several days showing the students how she collects water samples and counts the algae as part of her job. Identifying and counting the differ- D. Preston ent types of algae allows her to see if Scott Mazzone, QIN shellfish and marine biologist, a harmful algal bloom is in progress. holds a Dungeness crab for inspection. Some phytoplankton cause toxins in D. Preston shellfish that can make them too toxic tian-James said. “Hopefully, we planted Quinault Indian Nation member Destiny for humans to eat. a seed in their minds and encouraged Capoeman, 6, helps a summer intern test “I was really impressed with how them to go to school and want to become whether shellfish are safe to eat during the quickly the kids picked up on the dif- a scientist someday.” – D. Preston tribe’s Jr. Scientist Marine Day Camp held in Taholah. ferent kinds of phytoplankton,” Bas-
will be back next year and for sev- eral years after that to monitor and prevent against re-infestation. Reclaiming Habitat “It seems like we have been do- ing this knotweed treatment forever, From Knotweed but we are seeing good results,” said Frank Geyer, Timber/Fish/Wildlife biologist for the Quileute Tribe. “We’re getting positive feedback from people who use the river as well as seeing animals come back to use these riparian areas now that the knotweed has been removed.” Tribes across the North Olympic Peninsula have worked D. Preston in partnership with counties, state Perry Black, Quileute tribal member and fisheries technician, sprays herbicide on and local agencies, and individual invasive knotweed in the Bogachiel River valley. landowners to keep the river systems Ten-foot-tall stalks of invading channels of the Bogachiel River sys- from becoming knotweed- and alder- knotweed tower over the heads of tem. The four men smile grimly as dominated ecosystems with little to the Quileute Tribe’s fisheries crew they spray the knotweed with blue- offer fish and wildlife. – D. Preston as they walk through the dry side tinged herbicide. They know they
Wildlife Management Tribes Enhance, Protect Wildlife Resources Tulalip Provides Harvest Opportunities with Wild Turkeys About 170 wild turkeys were released When the nets were removed in August, into a meadow on the Tulalip Tribes res- the turkeys needed some encouragement ervation in August with the hope they will to flee the coop. After a few minutes, they sustain a harvestable population. started exploring the grasses surrounding “Tribal hunters don’t have the same ac- the enclosure. cess to nutritious protein that they once “Every step of the way, I have been really had,” said Ray Fryberg Sr., fish and wild- impressed with their development,” said life director for the Tulalip Tribes. “Popu- Tulalip wildlife manager Mike Sevigny. “I lations of deer and elk have declined and expect them to breed this spring, and if they they’re running out of decent habitat.” do, we could issue a few hunting tags next A few years ago, the tribes’ natural re- fall.” – K. Neumeyer sources department started planting mead- ows on the reservation to provide a haven for wildlife. The meadows support popu- lations of deer, small mammals and birds – and now wild turkeys. “We hope these turkeys will breed suc- cessfully and sustain a harvestable popula- tion that can feed our community,” Fryberg said. “Having wild turkeys right here on the reservation also could engage tribal youth who haven’t been exposed to our hunting culture.” The turkey chicks came from a hatchery and were placed in brooding pens in May. Once they were old enough, they were K. Neumeyer (2) moved to a net-covered enclosure in the Tulalip Tribes wildlife technician Amanda Shel- Young turkeys are released from their net- meadow to get used to eating the grasses ton ushers young turkeys out of their pen. covered pen in a meadow on the Tulalip Reservation. there. Tribes and State Change Harvest Levels of Black-tail Deer to Bolster Populations Antlerless deer harvest has been halted or curtailed by several coastal treaty Indian tribes and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to bolster black-tail deer populations over a large swath of the Olympic Peninsula in Clallam and Jefferson counties. Death claimed nearly three-quarters of 126 radio-collared fawns tracked during the first three years of a four-year study by the Makah Tribe. The young deer were followed as they moved through Makah reservation lands and private timberlands. Biolo- gists believe the Olympic Peninsula black-tail deer population is declining. Most of the fawns died from predation by cougars and bobcats, combined with poor body condition caused by hair loss syndrome, which is caused by non-native lice. While hair loss syndrome doesn’t kill deer outright, it makes the animal more susceptible to pneumonia. The incessant licking and scratching caused by the D. Preston lice prevents the animal from feeding well and distracts its atten- A black-tail deer fawn lies quietly after receiving a collar with a radio tion from predators. transmitter as part of the Makah Tribe’s black-tail deer study. “Harvest is something we can control,” said Rob McCoy, wild- “It’s a hardship for many who depend on this meat for their fami- life division manager for the Makah Tribe. “We don’t have the lies, but it’s about protecting the resource for the future.” capability to accomplish predator control at this time and we can’t The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe also has halted antlerless deer control the hair loss disease. This is the best way to maximize adult harvest in its traditional hunting areas. The Jamestown S’Kllallam doe survival and increase the number of offspring.” and Port Gamble S’Klallam tribes have agreed not to harvest ant- “The community stepped up based on this information,” said lerless deer in places they hunt west of Port Angeles. Frank Geyer, the Quileute Tribe’s Timber/Fish/Wildlife biologist. – D. Preston Makah Assesses Elk Calf, Bull Populations Accurately estimating elk popula- elk herds in traditional hunting areas, Tribes Enhance, Protect Wildlife Resources tions is necessary to properly manage including tracking 40 elk calves with harvest rates. For the Makah Tribe, that radio collars to note mortality rates and means consistent monitoring of the the cause. This helps answer the ques- herds within traditional hunting areas tion of whether calf survival is balanc- on the North Olympic Peninsula. ing cow mortality. “The capacity of any one area to Elk forage is abundant on the Olym- support elk is really variable depending pic Peninsula, but the nutritional con- on a number of factors, including the tent is so low that cow elk typically food available to them, harvest rate and have a calf every other year. Knowing road density,” said Shannon Murphy, cow and calf survival rates is a cor- the tribe’s wildlife biologist. nerstone of understanding the size and The tribe is in the process of updating health of the elk herds. The tribe has the information it has collected on the not harvested cow elk since 1997. Harvest rates will continue to be D. Preston measured using information turned in Twenty bull elk received internal radio transmitters as part of the Makah Tribe’s by hunters and from tracking the ra- population estimate study. dio-collared calves and 100 radio-col- lared cows. The tribe also implanted 20 cause of a radio collar,” Murphy said. bull elk with an internal radio tracking “We want enough information to sup- device. The internal device will help port management decisions and make maintain the scientific accuracy of the sure we are meeting Peninsula herd harvest rate. management goals,” said Rob McCoy, “We don’t want a hunter choosing or wildlife division manager. not choosing an animal to harvest be- – D. Preston
Veterinarian Dr. Briggs Hall gives antibiotics and obtains a blood sample from a tranquilized bull elk following the insertion of an internal radio transmitting device as part of the Makah Tribe’s efforts to update elk population data in traditional hunting areas. Shannon Murphy
Finally – An Afternoon Flight
Tulalip Tribes natural resources staff mem- bers rescued an injured bald eagle from Pot- latch Beach in June. It was soaking wet and was not able to fly. The eagle was taken to Sarvey Wildlife Care Center, where it was rehabilitated before being released into a wildlife area in Everett.
K. Neumeyer
Tribal Voice
Tulalip Tribes: Pipeline Will Meet Water Needs Water is the lifeblood of our mother A few years ago, when the tribes earth. Without water, we can’t do any- reached a settlement for fish damages thing. Water is important for cultural, between 1918 and 1960 from the city’s subsistence, recreational and economic diversion dams on the Sultan River, we uses. Water is the key to everything we asked for our payment to be made in do as people. water, along with $5 million to help pay The Tulalip reservation now gets its for design and construction of a pipeline water from wells that tap into aquifers, to the reservation. As part of that settle- plus 4 million gallons a day that are piped ment, we will have available an average in from Marysville. At our current rate of of 30 million gallons a day with a peak development, we will run out of water in flow of 36 million gallons a day. five years. We also negotiated a settlement with Aquifers are fed by rainwater and the Snohomish County Public Utility water levels in these underground riv- District (PUD) for fish damages caused ers are declining. As our groundwater by its hydropower dams after 1961. diminishes, the reduced stream flow has Funds from the settlement can be used to Daryl Williams is the environmental a negative effect on our salmon hatchery help pay for the pipeline construction. liaison for the Tulalip Tribes. system. We also can’t provide housing or Snohomish PUD has agreed to work economic development without access to with us in a number of ways, including water. providing training and job opportunities next one will begin soon. Construction We need to bring in water from other to tribal members. on a third segment should be completed sources via a pipeline that will meet our The pipeline is being constructed in next year. Using some existing pipelines, future needs. The Tulalip Tribes and city eight sections with an estimated total we hope to have about 2 million gallons of Everett have partnered to build this cost of $85 million. The first section has a day of water through the new pipeline pipeline. been completed and construction on the segments by the end of 2012.
Upper Skagit Tribe Generations Members of an Upper Skagit canoe family travel the Skagit River in a traditional dugout river canoe in this photo from the late 1800s.
Cedar canoes were then the main form of transportation from the Upper Skagit valley to Puget Sound. Dugout canoes were carved in a variety of shapes and sizes, depending on the purpose of the journey and the number of people who would be traveling. Ocean canoes tended to be carved from larger trees than river canoes, but as can be seen in this photo, long canoes were needed on the river as well, to accom- modate large families.
10 Shellfish Management
Tribes,Clam seeding Navy is done by Partner the At the time, to the NavyEnhance was Clam Beds handful. No machines or digging, proposing to install a barrier just gently tossing the seed on the around its ammunition wharf on beach as the tide rolls in. the west side of Indian Island. Staff from the Suquamish and The Suquamish Tribe was con- Port Gamble S’Klallam tribes, cerned that this restriction would Point No Point Treaty Council interfere with treaty fishing activi- and the U.S. Navy did just that on ties. The Navy and tribe signed the Indian Island over the course of MOA clarifying fishing access and two weeks this summer. Heavy- calling for Navy funding for clam duty 15-by-50-foot nets were laid enhancement efforts over a 20- on the beach before the area was year period. hand-seeded with 3.5 million fin- The seeding this summer was the gernail-sized clam seeds. The nets first of those efforts. The enhance- prevent bird predation. ment is occurring on beaches that “This beach has great poten- have been set aside by the Navy tial for clam growth,” said Vivi- exclusively for tribal harvest. An ane Barry, the Suquamish Tribe’s added benefit to enhancing Navy- shellfish management biologist. owned beaches is that public ac- “Manila clams need a good mix cess is strictly limited, so there is of pea gravel and sand for healthy very little poaching, Barry said. growth. This area is rich with all The agreement benefits all four those components.” tribes that harvest on Indian Is- The clam enhancement project land: Suquamish, Port Gamble came out of a September 2009 S’Klallam, Jamestown S’Klallam
Memorandum of Agreement and Lower Elwha Klallam tribes. RoyalT. (MOA) between the U.S. Navy – T. Royal Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe natural resources intern Stonechild Moran spreads manila clam seed. and the Suquamish Tribe. Upper Skagit Shellfish Program Tracks Spot Prawns The Upper Skagit Tribe has ramped up its so we can protect our resources now and the stock. Last spring, shellfish biologist shellfish program by hiring a new biologist for future generations,” said Scott Schuy- Kyle Deerkop and technicians Larry Peter- and holding test fisheries for spot prawns. ler, the tribe’s natural resources policy co- son, Tim Shelton and Robert Schuyler set Test fisheries improve harvest management ordinator. 100 pots, measuring a sample of the spot by providing information about population The tribe has been testing the spot prawns and recording their stage of sexual size. prawn population before and after com- maturity. “Expanding our program will help us mercial, ceremonial and subsistence fish- Spot prawns have an unusual reproduc- learn more about shellfish such as shrimp, eries to monitor the impacts of fishing on tive cycle. Most mature first as males, and K. Neumeyer after a couple of breeding seasons, change sex and reproduce for a few seasons as fe- males. Studies have shown that males some- times change into females at a younger age or skip the male phase when faced with increased fishing pressure or higher natu- ral mortality. This could be a reproductive strategy to make sure there are enough egg- producing females each season. “Shellfish have always been crucially important to our culture and way of life,” Schuyler said. “It’s very important for the tribe to continue to gather shellfish as our ancestors did.” – K. Neumeyer
Upper Skagit technicians Robert Schuyler, left, Tim Shelton, center, and biologist Kyle Deerkop determine the sex of spot prawns.
11 Woody Debris Slows Water, Restores Creek This summer, the new streambed for Morse Creek looked like a pinball machine. Logjams were placed in the stream, creating new habitat for juvenile and adult salmon. “I can see it now, the water coursing through there, bounc- ing off each jam and the flow going downstream,” said Re- becca Benjamin, executive director of the North Olympic Salmon Coalition (NOSC). In a few months, the water flowing down the large creek will be using those jams to slow down as it pours from the T. RoyalT. (2) Olympic Mountains and into Standing in the middle of the rushing Elwha Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe hatchery manager Larry the Strait of Juan de Fuca. river, Lower Elwha Klallam habitat program Ward, left, and NOAA research fisheries biologist manager Mike McHenry measures a rock be- Kurt Fresh pull in a beach seine near Port Williams in The coalition, in partnership fore heaving it back into the water. Sequim Bay. with the Lower Elwha Klal- lam and Jamestown S’Klallam tribes, and other agencies, has been working to restore this short but vital section of Morse TakingThe Lower Elwha Klallam Stock Tribe is con of- these Elwha as a critical part of Riverassessing the ben - Creek. tinuing its work to prepare for the removal efits of dam removal,” said George Pess, a Recreating the historic of two dams on the Elwha River with a sedi- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin- streambed involved rebuilding ment study and beach seine surveys. istration’s (NOAA) Northwest Fisheries Sci- 2,400 feet of water channel and The three-year process of removing the ence Center research scientist and project installing 19 engineered log- fish-blocking Elwha and Glines Canyon leader. jams. Salmon that use the creek dams is scheduled to begin next September. Along the nearshore of the Strait of Juan de include pink, coho, steelhead The project will restore salmon access up the Fuca, the tribe and NOAA have been beach and chum. river as far as the foothills of the Olympic seining to learn more about what lives there. The half-mile section had Mountains, which salmon haven’t reached “Observing what exists in the nearshore been realigned and diked by a for nearly 100 years. now will help us determine any changes after property owner in 1939, cre- The tribe is collecting sediment samples dam removal,” said Larry Ward, the tribe’s ating a straight and narrow from near the mouth of the river to near hatchery manager and fisheries biologist. streambed that damaged salm- Glines Canyon dam, 10 miles upriver. Fish found this summer included coho, pink on habitat in its path. “The whole lower river is filled with large and chinook salmon, shiner perch, Pacific “It was like an express lane cobble and smaller boulders,” said Lower sandlance and three-spined sticklebacks. and it took all the good habi- Elwha Klallam habitat program manager Following the dam removal, the tribe and tat with it,” said Kevin Long, Mike McHenry. “This is not good for salmon NOAA will observe the same beaches to see NOSC’s project manager. spawning habitat – they need a mixture of what has changed, including the amount of “There is still good habitat smaller gravel for egg nests.” fish and the variety of species. in the historic channel, so all During August, a total of 60 samples were The dams are owned by the federal gov- we had to do was realign the collected at 20 different sites in the reach. ernment. The Olympic National Park is creek.” – T. Royal Samples will be taken following the removal spearheading the removal effort. The proj- to assess the changes in spawning habitat for ect to remove the structures and restore the salmon. Elwha River ecosystem, estimated at $350 “We have been working on such studies million, is the largest dam removal project to with the Elwha Tribe for a decade and see date in the United States. – T. Royal
12 Featured Videos on NWIFC.org Stillaguamish Tribe Celebrates Hand-carved Canoe
When a 300-year-old cedar tree, buried for the last 100 years, was uncov- ered in the Stillaguamish watershed, the Stillaguamish Tribe asked Lummi master carver Felix Solomon to carve a shovel-nose river canoe for them. The Stillaguamish Tribe debuted the canoe during its First Salmon Cer- emony in July.
Right: Stillaguamish tribal chairman Shawn Yanity and tribal member Jeff Tatro paddle the canoe they helped carve. Watch the video at http:// go.nwifc.org/canoe.
Swinomish Tribe Dedicates Kiket Island In June, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission bought Kiket Island to co-manage as a state park. On July 30, representatives from the tribe and state gathered for a dedication ceremony. Watch the video at http://go.nwifc.org/kiket.
Puyallup Tribe Commemorates Fish-Camp Raid In September, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians marked the anniversary of a historic raid on a fishing camp that sparked the court battle that eventually led to the Boldt decision. Watch the video at http://go.nwifc.org/Puyallup40. K. Neumeyer
T. Royal (2) Landowners Join Habitat Effort The Jamestown S’Klallam and Lower Property owners teamed up with the Elwha Klallam tribes are working with Mc- tribes in 2009 and 2010 to construct log- Donald Creek property owners to make the jams in the 40-foot-wide creek bed, plant stream more salmon friendly. western red cedar on the stream banks and Coho and wild steelhead historically remove English ivy. The cedars will even- have been found in the 13-mile-long creek tually fall into the creek, creating natural that runs from the Olympic Mountains into salmon habitat. The piles of logs help cre- the Strait of Juan de Fuca, just west of Se- ate pools where salmon can feed and rest. quim. “I really want this to be a place where Decades of timber harvest, stormwater my grandkids can come down and see fish pouring into the creek, and other land use swimming up the creek,” said property practices have degraded the quality of the owner Paul McBeth, who has been spear- stream. Stable logjams are scarce, allowing heading the effort with his neighbors. gravel that salmon need for spawning to be – T. Royal flushed downstream.
Estuary Restoration Progresses Darryl Charles, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe natural resources technician, cables logs. The Suquamish Tribe is working with “It will be interesting to see how the federal and county agencies to restore a channel realigns itself after the estuary is A box culvert on Chico Creek blocks fish pas- significant part of Chico Creek by remov- returned to a more natural condition,” said sage. Its removal will be a major step toward restoring estuary habitat. ing a fish-blocking culvert at its mouth. Jay Zischke, the tribe’s marine fisheries The project is one more step in the tribe’s manager. “Box culverts such as the ones massive restoration effort within the Chico we are removing are effective for convey- watershed. ing water, but negatively impact the way an Chico Creek is one the largest native estuary should work.” salmon-producing creeks in Puget Sound. In the past year alone, the tribe has in- An average of 30,000 chum spawn in the stalled tons of gravel and dozens of root- watershed each year. The tribe partnered wads near the mouth of the creek to help with U.S. Environmental Protection Agen- slow the water and create pools that salmon cy, Kitsap County and the U.S. Navy for need for resting and feeding. – T. Royal the project.
BringingHabitat in a 1-mile stretch 1950s of the Skokom- HabitatThe key goal of the Back project is to restoreto thefor the Skokomish river’s fish that include steelhead, ish River that has been degrading since the vegetation and fish habitat while stabiliz- bull trout, coho and chinook. Puget Sound 1950s is getting a healthy boost with more ing sediment movement within the river, chinook, steelhead and bull trout are listed than 2,000 logs and hundreds of native said Alex Gouley, the Skokomish Tribe’s as “threatened” under the federal Endan- plants. The Skokomish Tribe and U.S. For- habitat program manager. gered Species Act. est Service are installing 28 logjams in the The area was logged in the 1950s in an- “It typically takes decades to recreate river this summer. The structures help slow ticipation of a reservoir. While the reservoir what the tribe and forest service are trying the river’s velocity and create habitat for project was abandoned, damage to the land to recreate here, such as building up log- fish to rest, feed and hide from predators. has lasted for decades. As a result, the river jams,” said Brian Bair, a U.S. Forest Ser- Some of the strategically placed piles of channel has shifted, widened and become vice fisheries biologist. “This project will logs are buried 40 feet deep in the river- shallow. The river’s bank also has become accelerate the recovery process and create banks. Native shrubs and other plants also unstable. Burying piles of 120-foot-long better habitat for salmon again.” will be planted along the riverbanks and logs deep into the riverbank and planting – T. Royal within the floodplain. native vegetation will create proper habitat T. RoyalT. U.S. Forest Service’s Marc McHenry, left, checks on the progress of South Fork Skokomish River restoration with Joseph Pavel and Alex Gouley of the Skokomish Tribe.
DikeRemoving Breached dikes around the The to island Restore restoration is the Estuary The confined riveron flow Nalley pre- the Skokomish Island Watershed are 214-acre Nalley Island will net second phase of the tribe’s ef- vented aquatic species and expected to benefit from the re- a big payoff. fort to restore the Skokomish salmon from accessing the wet- stored habitat. The project will “Restoring Nalley Island River estuary. The first phase lands where fish rear and take also enhance habitat for birds back to its original historic con- was completed in 2007, when refuge during storm events. and other wildlife. – T. Royal dition as part of an estuary will dikes west of the island were Endangered Species Act- benefit everyone in the area removed to restore 108 acres of listed salmon and other fish in – from our tribal members to tidelands. the fish and wildlife that use the A large portion of the An excavator removes dikes on Nalley Island, which will allow historic salt marsh habitat and channel networks to return. site for feeding and resting,” Skokomish estuary was con- said Joseph Pavel, the Skokom- verted from a pristine estuary to ish Tribe’s natural resources Nalley Farm in the late 1930s. director. At the time, the area was a pro- Work includes removing ductive estuary with miles of nearly 3 miles of dikes, filling tidal channels. Dikes and ditch- the ditches, removing tide gates es were constructed to prevent and culverts, replacing power tidal and river flows across the poles and improving access to surface of the island and perma- utility lines. nently drained the area.
14 RoyalT. Nisqually Indian Tribe
Above: The Nisqually Tribe is building logjams along the Mashel River. Right: Consultant Kyle Brakensiek snorkel surveys Mashel Creek to see how large woody debris has improved salmon habitat.
Logjams Restore Habitat, Protect Riverbanks For a second year, the Nisqually Indian and into a side channel,” Troutt said. Tribe will build logjams in the Mashel Riv- Next summer, the state Department of Tribe Donates Trees to er that will provide habitat for fish and help Transportation (DOT) will further protect protect property from bank erosion. River- the eroding bank using a technique called Mashel River Restoration side property sustained heavy damage dur- “bank roughening” – replacing traditional The Nisqually Indian Tribe is donat- ing a historic flood two years ago. riprap with log structures. ing nearly 200 large trees from its “When there isn’t enough wood in a riv- An earlier tribal project on the Mashel reservation to the Mashel River log- er, both people and salmon are in danger replaced a large rock berm protecting Ea- jam project this fall. because the water flows too quickly during tonville’s Smallwood Park with a series of “The trees were danger trees that floods,” said David Troutt, the tribe’s natu- large logjams. we selectively removed from our ral resources director. “We’ve seen direct evidence that the reservation neighborhoods because Last year, the tribe completed a series logjams we’ve built in the last few years they could fall during windstorms,” of logjams along the town of Eatonville’s not only blunt the impacts of floods, but said James Slape Jr., a tribal council Millpond Park that restored habitat while also boost juvenile salmon populations,” member. Trees from land targeted for preventing the river from washing out the Troutt said. “Since we built those logjams a new public safety complex also are historic site. at Smallwood, two significant floods have being used in the project. “Strong salmon runs are vital to the battered them and they’ve survived.” “Trees like this are hard and expen- Nisqually Tribe and we take environmental At the same time, surveys have found a sive to come by,” said David Troutt, stewardship seriously,” said Cynthia Iyall, booming juvenile coho population around the tribe’s natural resources director. In addition to the Mashel River, the chair of the Nisqually Tribe. “We also want the jams. tribe also has restored hundreds of our neighbors to be safe, and we’re happy “Our biologists found more than 2,500 acres of the Nisqually estuary. we can make both things happen. Strong coho living in the same part of the Mashel, “Lack of high-quality habitat is the communities can balance protecting per- up from around 900 before the logjams,” main factor in declining salmon popu- sonal property and environmental protec- Troutt said. “These fish are finding the riv- lations on the Nisqually River,” Troutt tion.” er a much better place to be now.” said. This year, the tribe is expanding the proj- In addition to coho salmon, the logjams “Restoring and protecting salmon ect to private property downstream where a are also expected to benefit Puget Sound habitat is a major goal for the tribe,” 400-by-60-foot piece of property was lost chinook and steelhead, both of which are Slape said. “We fish for these salmon, to a flood two winters ago. listed as “threatened” under the federal En- so we want them to survive in the fu- “The logjams that we’re building will dangered Species Act. – E. O’Connell ture.” – E. O’Connell divert flow away from the at-risk property
15 Walking On Chester “Chet” Cayou Sr., Qw-Tee-Sa-Luq, He was a member of Swinomish Veterans, Chester Cayou Sr. passed away Aug. 27 at 88 years old. Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Swinomish Cayou was the oldest surviving male tribal Smokehouse. Qw-Tee-Sa-Luq member and the longest serving member of the Cayou is survived by his sons Chester Cayou Swinomish Indian Senate. During his 27 years as Jr. and Dale Jones; daughters Tina Cayou, Re- senator, he served as chair of the fisheries and gina Bob, Ina Cayou and Sophie Bailey; sister veterans committees. He was also a longtime Susan Billy; and numerous grandchildren, great- member of the budget and personnel commit- grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. tees. He was preceded in death by his wife, Velma; Cayou proudly served in the U.S. Army dur- sons Fred and Donnie; grandchildren Wayne Bob ing World War II. He arrived at Normandy Beach Jr., Cassandra Cayou and Curtis Bailey; parents shortly after D-Day and served for six months in General Scott and Sarah Cayou; and two broth- the occupation of Berlin after the war ended. He ers. also was present at the Battle of the Bulge.
Makah tribal member Luke William “Turk” American Indian Heritage School in Seattle. He Luke Markishtum Markishtum III, passed away in Neah Bay July was a social worker with Washington State DSHS 19, where he had gathered with family and friends Child Protective Services, Indian Child Welfare to celebrate the Makah Tribal Canoe Journey. Native American Unit, and served as the Tribal He was born November 28, 1935 in Neah Bay Liaison for the North Kitsap School District with to Luke and Violet Markishtum. the Port Gamble and Suquamish tribes. Turk graduated from Neah Bay High School Turk is survived by his sister, Eleanor “Beebs”; in 1954 and received an athletic scholarship for his children, Terry, Stanley Sr. (Celina), Debbie, football to attend the University of Washington. Dean, Amy, Emma and adopted daughter Boo; He owned the Big Salmon Fishing Marina in many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and Neah Bay from the late 1960s through the early nieces and nephews. 1980s, and was also a commercial fisherman. He Turk was preceded in death by his parents, had also a long teaching and coaching career in Luke and Violet Markishtum, sister Deanna and schools in Port Angeles, North Kitsap and the brother Myron.
John Arum John Arum, 49, attorney for many western more than 20 years on treaty whaling and fish- Washington tribes, died in an apparent climbing ing rights issues. He worked tirelessly on many accident in North Cascades National Park the environmental issues, including helping preserve week of Sept. 1. Loomis Forest in eastern Washington. He was a Arum was born in 1961 in New York City to board member on the Washington Environmental Bob and Barbara Arum. He attended Reed Col- Council. lege and the University of Washington Law He is survived by Hormann; his mother, Bar- School. He married Susan Hormann in 1999. bara Arum; father, Robert, and stepmother, Lo- Arum worked on the 1999 U.S. Supreme Court vee Arum; his brother Richard, sister Lizabeth case that affirmed the hunting and fishing rights Arum, stepbrother Todd DuBoeff and stepsister of the Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa in Minne- Dena DuBoeff. sota. Arum also worked for the Makah Tribe for 16