Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe

Read more about the article Jamestown S’Klallam reconnects creek to strait to save fish
Jamestown S'Klallam tribal staff dig out a channel in a sandbar that is blocking the flow of Seibert Creek to the Strait of Juan de Fuca due to low water flow.

Jamestown S’Klallam reconnects creek to strait to save fish

Jamestown S'Klallam tribal staff dig out a channel in a sandbar that is blocking the flow of Seibert Creek to the Strait of Juan de Fuca due to low water flow.
Jamestown S’Klallam tribal staff dig out a channel in a sandbar that is blocking the flow of Siebert Creek to the Strait of Juan de Fuca due to low water flow.

The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is starting to see the effects of this year’s predicted low water flow in the Dungeness River Valley much sooner than anticipated.

Tribal natural resources staff discovered this week that the mouth of Siebert Creek had been cut off by a sandbar – a typical problem with the creek during a low water year.

But this year’s low flows are more severe than usual due to the record-low snowpack in the Olympic Mountains.

“We never consider low flows in the spring because we typically have more water coming down the creeks,” said Chris Burns, Jamestown natural resources technician. “But when McDonald Creek started looking really skinny, I started getting really worried and checked Siebert. (more…)

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Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe develops shellfish hatchery

The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is developing its own shellfish hatchery to benefit both tribal and non-tribal shellfish operations in Puget Sound.

The tribe plans to raise shellfish and grow shellfish seed (larvae) to sell, said Kurt Grinnell, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe vice-chair.

The tribe leased the former Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife shellfish hatchery in Quilcene in late 2013 and started rearing 800 Pacific oysters in March. (more…)

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Jamestown S’Klallam Gathering Steelhead DNA for Database

The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe wants to know which age class of steelhead is surviving best within the Dungeness River watershed.

While checking smolt traps and conducting spawning ground surveys this spring, the tribe took tail and scale samples from 500 juvenile steelhead in five creeks between Sequim and Port Angeles: Seibert, McDonald, Matriotti, Bell and Jimmycomelately.

“We’re already counting the adults and juveniles every spring and fall, so why not take DNA samples and develop an age database for steelhead?” said natural resources technician Chris Burns.

(more…)

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Tribes monitor Puget Sound for toxins

Nisqually natural resources technician Jimsan Dunstan samples water at Johnson Point in Olympia
Nisqually natural resources technician Jimsan Dunstan samples water at Johnson Point in Olympia.

The Jamestown S’Klallam, Nisqually and Stillaguamish tribes are participating in the SoundToxins monitoring program to provide early warning of harmful algal blooms (HAB) and outbreaks of bacteria that could sicken humans.

“We want to make sure shellfish are safe to consume, not just for tribal members, but for all seafood consumers,” said Sue Shotwell, shellfish farm manager for the Nisqually Tribe.

During the shellfish growing season from March to October, tribal natural resources staff sample seawater weekly at designated sites. Additional sites across Puget Sound are monitored for toxin-producing algae by various citizen beach watchers, shellfish farmers, educational institutions and state government agencies. The monitoring results are posted in an online database.

The SoundToxins program helps narrow down the places where shellfish should be sampled for toxins, which is more expensive and time-consuming than testing the water. (more…)

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