The Skokomish Tribal Nation of Washington is blaming non-Indian fishermen for the closure of its shellfish harvest area.
The tribe was forced to stop its oyster harvest due to the presence of human waste and trash on the Skokomish River. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said the area is unsafe.
"The fact that the Skokomish Tribe must close an important shellfish harvest area as a direct result of non-Indian activities that are authorized by WDFW is an outrage and violates the tribe’s treaty rights," Chairman Charles "Guy" Miller told KING 5 News.
A state shellfish manager said strong salmon runs have lured as many as 2,000 non-Indian fishermen to the river. The fishermen are apparently not using sanitation and waste facilities.
The tribe says the state should close the recreational fishery.
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Human waste blamed for shellfish harvest closure
(KING 5 News 8/26)
SANITATION CONCERNS PROMPT ACTION ON SKOKOMISH RIVER BUT THE FISHERY REMAINS OPEN (Mason County News 8/27)
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