The newly recognized Shinnecock Nation of New York is asserting ownership of the shoreline near its reservation.

Tribal trustee Lance Gumbs said the tribe has never relinquished its shellfish rights in Shinnecock Bay. "The reality is that we have clammed and used these waters for sustenance for over 10,000 years," he told The Southampton Press.

There's been two incidents in which tribal members told people who were harvesting near the reservation to leave. One group claims to have been fired at with a rifle, something Gumbs disputed.

"Nobody was shot at—that’s a bunch of bull. They had firecrackers," Gumbs told the paper. He was present at the bay when state police showed up in response to claims of firearm usage.

Get the Story:
Bayman Says Shots Fired From Reservation; Shinnecocks Demand Baymen Stay Away (The Southampton Press 7/4)