Gyasi Ross: Commercial industry intentionally poisons our indigenous foods

The Salmon Industry has intentionally poisoned Native stock.

Last week, a company named “Cooke Aquaculture” spilled approximately 160,000 foreign farmed fish from all the way across the continent into Washington’s Native fish populations. These alien fish have no natural enemies in Washington’s waters and thus have explored destructively, some swimming up to 150 miles away.

Initially, Cooke Aquaculture got downright Bonnie Tyler on us and blamed the recent eclipse (no, seriously) for their farmed fish getting out into the wild. They’ve since retracted that silliness, but stupid excuses notwithstanding, the damage has already been done.

Horrible.

Like most actions that harm Native people, this was not an accident. In fact, it reflects a larger trend.