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Fisheries/Harvest Management

The Harvest Management component of the Natural Resources program involves managing numerous natural resources, which are part of the Tribe’s treaty rights. These rights were reaffirmed in the 1974 US v. WA, Judge Boldt decision and the subsequent 1994 US v. WA Judge Rafeedie decision, which reaffirmed the Tribe’s right to harvest shellfish. The Nooksack Tribe has inhabited the Nooksack River watershed for thousands of years, and our culture is based on harvesting fish, wildlife, and other natural resources in the region. Today we co-manage numerous freshwater and marine natural resources with the state and other tribes in which we share a common U&A. The management of these natural resources, including shellfish, salmonids, halibut and other finfish, is an annual process and involves numerous state and federal agencies, along with treaty tribes. Through a number of management forums, in which tribes meet with state and federal natural resource managers, agreements are typically reached which specify management methods and harvest levels.

Finfish

The management of marine areas 7 and 7A are typically done by in-season management. The only commercial salmon fisheries which occur in these areas are Fraser River and Puget Sound sockeye, pink and chum salmon. There are no commercially directed coho and chinook fisheries in these management areas. Coho and chinook are typically harvested incidentally during the directed commercial fisheries.

SHELLFISH

Shellfish management areas include 20A- Point Roberts, Cherry Point area, 20B and 22A- San Juan Islands, 21A and 21B- Bellingham and Samish Bay and 22B- Padilla Bay. There are opportunities for tribal members to harvest shellfish commercially and for subsistence or personal use. Tribal members may subsistence harvest clams, oysters, Dungeness and rock crab, shrimp, urchins, sea cucumbers and geoducks. There is also a commercial and subsistence halibut fishery in the spring. The halibut subsistence fishery typically remains open through December 31. Typically, there is an annual limited commercial manila clam harvest in the Spring at Birch Bay State Park.