The commercial fishery allows the sale of spring Chinook and steelhead as well as incidentally caught fish including walleye, shad and carp. Sales of commercially caught fish opened at 6 a.m. today, May 5, and will continue until further notice.

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 includes ceremonial, subsistence and commercial fisheries.

“The commercial fishery is a fundamental part of the tribal community,” said Olney Patt, Jr., CRITFC's executive director. “It allows tribal fishers to support their families, continue their traditions and rebuild their communities by putting resources back into the local, tribal, and regional economies.” CRITFC estimates that for every $10 generated by fish sales, as much as $7 is placed back into local economies.

The tribes are excited to be able to share this resource with the public, but due to high demand and the relatively low availability of salmon on the West Coast, prices may be higher than previous years and the numbers of fish for sale direct to the public may be somewhat limited. Price is determined at the point of sale.

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 the salmon marketing program at (888) 289-1855 or visit the salmon marketing website indiansalmonharvest.com. Sales are cash only.