The Yurok Tribe's 53rd annual Klamath Salmon Festival included a salmon lunch but that won't be happening this year due to low salmon runs. Photo from Facebook
The Yurok Tribe of California has some disappointing news to share -- there will be no salmon at this year's salmon festival. Chairman Thomas P. O’Rourke Sr. said the tribe had to remove the item from the menu at the upcoming Klamath Salmon Festival because there just aren't enough fish to feed everyone at the customary lunch. That's a first in the 54-year history of the popular event. "This was a very difficult decision," O’Rourke said in a press release. "We hope that all festival attendees understand that this was the only responsible option." The tribe halted all commercial fishing on the reservation this year due to low salmon runs. Federal and state water management policies, as well diversions of water for illegal marijuana farms, have all been blamed for the disappointing numbers. "There are not enough fish to feed our families, many of which will need food assistance, as a result of this manmade catastrophe," O’Rourke said. Despite the lack of a salmon lunch, the 54th annual Klamath Salmon Festival will go ahead as planned on August 20. The event usually draws between 3,000 to 4,000 people to the reservation.
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