NEAH BAY- The chattering sound of hundreds of decorative purple olive shells has accompanied Makah tribal dancers for at least 500 years. The three-quarter-inch shells have been found in the oldest archeological digs in Neah Bay. Holes pierced in the end indicate they were used for necklaces, headbands, belts and other decoration. (more…)
“Having Seraphina available really helps improve our response time to marine mammals on the beach,” said Scordino. “Better response time improves protection of human and canine health,” he said. Marine mammals such as seals can carry diseases fatal to humans and dogs visiting local beaches. “By getting to these sick marine mammals sooner we can minimize the potential of the spread of these diseases,” said Scordino.
Here's a story in National Geographic about Russian Kamchatka salmon that has many similarities to what happened to Northwest salmon and underscores the importance of habitat and fisheries management. "Russia’s…
“The primary objectives of the project were to protect the entrance of this important side channel used by sockeye for spawning and to reestablish new surfaces for floodplain reforestation planting. We have met those objectives” said Armstrong. “It was also the first time that a net loss of sockeye salmon spawning habitat was avoided in this watershed."
The tribe is conducting several research projects to better understand the numbers of elk calves and black-tail deer fawns born each year and how many of them survive to maturity.“Without this kind of specific knowledge, it can be easy to over-estimate the expected rate of increase in a population and make mistakes in harvest management plans,” said Rob McCoy, wildlife division manager for the Makah Tribe.
The Peninsula Daily News covered NOAA's release of Lake Ozette sockeye recovery plan.
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Protecting the health of Quinault Indian Nation (QIN) tribal members and others is the main priority of harmful algal bloom specialist Jonnette Bastian-James.
Like other coastal tribes, QIN is helping to determine when harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur on the coast and how quickly they affect shellfish eaten regularly by Indian and non-Indian harvesters throughout the region.
James, a QIN tribal member, takes seawater samples year-round on five beaches from Ocean Shores north to Kalaloch where razor clams are harvested. Beginning in the spring, when levels of toxins harmful to humans can begin to rise, she increases sampling to twice a week at the beaches.
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"It helps us pay our bills," said Anderson during a commercial razor clam dig on Roosevelt Beach. "Many people are unemployed. It's survival for us. We fish, dig clams and hunt. We have six kids, so every little bit helps."
Harmful Algal Bloom Summit Concludes with Public Session Feb. 12 5-7 p.m. Flier below with contact information to participate.
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NEAH BAY — The 18 fishers reintroduced into Olympic National Park (ONP) earlier this year by wildlife biologists were expected to do some roaming. But few expected one of the weasel-like animals to journey nearly 60 miles from its Elwha River watershed release site to the Makah Tribe’s reservation in Neah Bay. Crossing mountains, rivers and busy roads, the fisher reached the Makah Reservation over a period of six months. (more…)