“We are excited to share the tribal tradition and tribal fishery with the general public,” said Paul Lumley, executive director for the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC). “The community gets a local, top-quality product and tribal fishers are able to support their families, continue their traditions and rebuild their communities.” CRITFC estimates that for every $10 generated by fish sales, as much as $7 is placed back into local economies.

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. Information on sales locations for the day’s catch is available by calling CRITFC’s salmon marketing program at (888) 289-1855 or visiting the salmon marketing website www.critfc.org/harvest. Price is determined at the point of sale and sales are cash only.

The tribal fishery is protected under 1855 treaties with the federal government, where they reserved the right to fish at all usual and accustomed fishing places in the Columbia River Basin—a treaty right that extends beyond ceremonial and subsistence fisheries to commercial sales.

The treaty and non-treaty fisheries will see some adjustments throughout the season as both are managed on actual run size and not simply pre-season forecasts. The tribal and non-tribal harvest rates have been agreed to as part of the U.S. v. Oregon Management Agreement.