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Fresh Columbia River Chinook Salmon! Tribes Open Sale Memorial Day Weekend

Courtesy Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish CommissionFresh-caught fish for sale on the Columbia River — Courtesy Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
Fresh-caught fish for sale on the Columbia River

Indian Country Today

For Memorial Day weekend, leaders from the Umatilla, Yakama, Warm Springs and Nez Perce tribes opened a two-night commercial gillnet fishery that will bring ample amounts of fresh spring chinook to the salmon-loving public. The latest fishery comes on the heels of an above average spring chinook run which should reach 224,000 returning adults. This spring’s commercial fishery will be the largest in the last four years.

“The tribes are just one the many communities benefiting from this year’s spring chinook run,” said Paul Lumley, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission’s executive director. “For the first time in four years, we are thrilled to share the coveted spring chinook salmon with our loyal customers that appreciate fresh and locally-caught fish.”

A tribal fisher checks his nets along the Columbia River. (Courtesy Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission)

Indian fishers may be found selling fish at a number of locations along the river including Marine Park at Cascade Locks, Lone Pine at The Dalles, and the boat launch near Roosevelt, Washington as well as other locations. Commercial sales will not occur on Corps of Engineers property at Bonneville Dam. Information on where the day’s catch is being sold is available by calling Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission’s salmon marketing program at (888) 289-1855 or visiting the salmon marketing website http://www.critfc.org/harvest. Price is determined at the point of sale and sales are cash only.

The tribal fishery is protected by treaties made with the federal government in 1855, where the right to fish at all usual and accustomed fishing places in the Columbia River basin was reserved. The tribal treaty right extends beyond ceremonial and subsistence fisheries to commercial sales. The Columbia River fisheries are adjusted throughout the season in accordance with management agreements and observed returns.

Documentary About Hoopster Shoni Schimmel Among iTunes’ Top Downloads

Source: Indian Country Today Media Network

Off the Rez, a 2011 documentary about Umatilla basketball star Shoni Schimmel, is putting up respectable download numbers at Apple’s iTunes store. As of this writing, the film is at no. 99 on the overall iTunes Top 100 list, and is the seventh-highest ranked documentary.

Click here to go to the Off the Rez page at iTunes.

Schimmel is now a force on the court for the University of Louisville (where her sister Jude is also on the team), and was recently spotlighted by ESPNW as the college player of the week. Off the Rez premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2011, and aired on cable TV as Shoni’s Louisville Cardinals were making their run to the NCAA tournament finals in 2013.

Below are a few clips from Off the Rez; many more can be seen at director Jonathan Hock’s Youtube channel.

Umatilla Schimmel Sisters Play on National Television Sunday – ESPNU

Both sisters are expected to start on Sunday’s nationally televised game

By Levi Rickert, December 27, 2013, Native News Online

LOUISVILLE — The pride of Indian country, Umatilla sisters Shoni and Jude Schimmel, will play on national television Sunday at 3:00 p.m. on ESPNU as their Louisville Cardinals women’s basketball team play SMU at the KFC YUM! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Cardinals have a 12-1 record this season and have a five-game win streak going. SMU has a 9-2 record. The two teams last met on November 29, 1996.

The two Umatilla sisters won the hearts of many in Indian country as the Louisville team advanced to the NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball title game in April. The Schimmel sisters are the only American Indians to ever play in a NCAA Division 1 basketball title game. They are tribal citizens of the Confederated Tribe of Umatilla Indians, based in Pendleton, Oregon.

Both sisters are slated to start for the Louisville Cardinals.

Shoni Schimmel, No. 23, is a 5-9 senior. Last Saturday, she led the Cardinals to victory over Colorado with a season high 30 points. She is averaging 16.1 points per game this season and is sharing the team lead in assists with her sister Jude at 4.2 per game.

Jude Schimmel, No. 22, is a 5-6 junior. She is a guard. In addition to her assists, Jude is averaging 7.5 points per game this season with 3.6 rebounds. She gained her first start earlier this year against Austin Peay. Jude dished out a career-high of 9 assists against Wright State.

The Cardinals will play in eight nationally televised games this second half of the season, so check your local listings for exact channel information.

Editor’s Note: NDNSports.com contributed to this article.

Eat Insanely Fresh Native Salmon: Four Tribes Open Fishery On Columbia River

Courtesy Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish CommissionA tribal fisher loads fall chinook into their boat on the Columbia River near Hood River, Oregon. — Courtesy Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
A tribal fisher loads fall chinook into their boat on the Columbia River near Hood River, Oregon.

Source: Indian Country Today Media Network

Starting August 19, fishers from the Nez Perce, Umatilla, Warm Springs and Yakama tribes will drop their gill nets in the Columbia River.

During the 2013 fall commercial season, this first gill net fishery can harvest up to 200,000 fish or an estimated 2.5 million pounds of salmon. The fresh catch of salmon, steelhead and coho will be sold commercially directly from Indian fishers to the public. Sales to the public should last into October with peak abundance from just before Labor Day through mid-September. Much of the harvest is sold to wholesale fish dealers and can be found in stores and restaurants around the Northwest and beyond.

Fisheries biologists estimate that the 2013 fall chinook return will be well above average with 677,900 fall chinook entering the Columbia and over 575,000 destined for areas upstream of the Bonneville Dam. Fishery managers also predict a record return of wild Snake River fall chinook and over 130,000 coho.

“Many of the salmon returning to the Columbia River are the direct result of tribal restoration efforts, joint state and tribal programs and several tribal and federal partnerships that are increasing the abundance of salmon in upriver areas,” said Paul Lumley, executive director for the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.

During the harvest, managers actively monitor the returns so they can adjust the harvest levels as needed to keep the fisheries within strict harvest limits established under the US v. Oregon fisheries management agreement.

The tribal fishery offers an ample supply of fish for the public through over-the-bank sales. Common sales locations include: Marine Park in Cascade Locks, Lone Pine in The Dalles, North Bonneville—one mile east of Bonneville Dam, and Columbia Point in Washington’s Tri-Cities area.

Individuals interested in purchasing tribally caught fish should keep the following tips in mind:
•   Sales from tribal fishers generally run from 10 a.m. to dusk.
•   Price is determined at the point of sale.
•   Most sales are cash only.
•   Buyers should request a receipt.
•   Tribal fishers can advise on topics including fish freshness and preparation.

The public is urged to call the salmon marketing program at (888) 289-1855 before heading up the river to find out where the day’s catch is being sold. More information is available on the salmon marketing website http://www.critfc.org/harvest. Follow @ColumbiaSalmon on Twitter for updates.