The Skagit Valley Herald reports on the record Fraser River sockeye returns and the importance to the Swinomish Tribe:
This year’s Fraser River sockeye salmon run is shaping up to be a historic one, which is big news for the Swinomish Tribal Community.
After years of low runs, this year’s run is estimated to reach about 34 million, a boon that is expected to benefit the tribe financially and culturally.
“It’s been a very big year for the sockeye tribes. For a lot of them, this is their bread and butter fisheries,” said Gary Graves, the fishery programs director at the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. “This is where they make their money. The last three years have been dismal. … This has been a bright spot.”
