Yakama and Umatilla Tribes unite for comprehensive salmon recovery
Tribes call for inclusive solutions to saving Columbia Basin salmon
Contact:
Andrea Tulee, Public Information Officer
Andrea_Tulee@Yakama.com
Kaeleen McGuire, Public Relations Specialist
KaeleenMcGuire@ctuir.org
PRESCOTT, Washinton –– On Tuesday, Aug. 9, tribal leaders from around the Pacific Northwest gathered at Fishhook Park to advocate for working together to restore Columbia Basin salmon populations. The event highlighted the power of partnerships in finding comprehensive solutions to salmon recovery.
Leaders from Yakama Nation and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) celebrated the role of salmon in Northwest Native cultures and recommended taking immediate action to ensure endangered salmon do not go extinct.
The tribes also advocated for a comprehensive fish restoration strategy, which included considering breaching the four lower Snake River dams. They noted that tribes regularly work with non-Native communities to find collaborative solutions to challenges in the region—and they can do so again to keep these vital fish from disappearing forever.