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Fire
up the grill: here comes Indian-caught Chinook salmon
Tribal
fishers will sell the prized delicacy direct to the public, but hurry
Portland, Oregon
-
Gourmets and grillers rejoice: 'tis the season for the Columbia
River Indian salmon harvest.
Fishers from the Nez Perce, Umatilla, Warm Springs and Yakama tribes
will sell fresh spring Chinook salmon to the public from Tuesday,
May 4, through Sunday, May 9, at points along the Columbia River
banks.
The prized fish, which typically returns from the sea to freshwater
in March to May, signals a scramble for folks wanting the firm,
full-bodied meat. Cooks and connoisseurs can buy the fresh delicacy
along the riverbanks 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.
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 during which folks can score fresh
spring Chinook direct from a local fisher. So grab the car keys,
bring a fish-holding cooler with ice and keep the following tips
in mind:
- Sales from tribal fishers run 10 a.m. to dusk, from Tuesday,
May 4, to Sunday, May 9.
- Sales sites are along the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam
in Oregon to the Tri-Cities in Washington.
- Most sales are cash only, but buyers can get 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 Spring
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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