Northwest Coast

A Fact Sheet on Makah Whaling
(Makan Whaling Commission, July 21. Archive: NAE, 1998).

An Open Letter to the Public from the President of the Makah Whaling Commission about the Hunt
A very good discussion of why whaling is still important for the Makah. (Keith Johnson, Seattle Times, August 23 (Op-ed page). Archive: NAE, 1998).

British Columbia Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
The current treaty negotiations occupy a large portion of this site.

Chehalis Department of Natural Resources
Very short. (1996).

Chehalis Tribal Water Resources Department
Short description. (1996).

Chief Seattle (1786 - 1866)
Includes the most authentic transcription of Chief Seattle's famous 1854 speech, considered "one of the greatest statements ever made concerning the relationship between a people and the earth." (Suquamish Tribe).

Chief Seattle's Reply
Chief Seattle's famous speech. However, this version came into existence around 1972 and bears little resemblance to Chief Seattle's original intentions when he gave his speech before the Governor of Washington Territory. (Archive: NAE).

Columbia and Snake River Facts
Home For The Salmon Campaign. (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, 1998).

Comprehensive Tribal Fisheries Management
(PDF format. Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, 4 pp).

Confluence: Journal of the Native American Pacific Northwest
A new publication focusing on Native American environmental issues that currently seeks submissions.

Coordinated Tribal Water Quality Program
(PDF format. Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, 4 pp).

European Union's Wild Fur Import Restriction: Impact on Indigenous Canadians
Describes the anticipated impacts on indigenous hunters of the EU's regulation banning pelt imports, effective January 1996. (Richard Maracle, Sponsored by the Old Massett Village Council of Haida Gwaii. Archive: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, 1996).

First Nations' Perspectives Relating to Forest Practices Standards in Clayoquot Sound
This particular review of forestry practices is exceptional because it was specifically mandated to include traditional native knowledge in its review of logging on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. (PDF format. Clayoquot Sound Scientific Panel, Report 3. The Scientific Panel for Sustainable Forest Practices in Clayoquot Sound. Archive: British Columbia Forest Service Research Branch, 1994).

Forest Industry Reaction to Nisga'a Treaty (Agreement-in-Principle)
(Terrace Standard On-line, 1996).

Great American Whale Hunt
(Richard Blow, Mother Jones On-line, September-October, 1998).

Haida and Non-Native Islanders Demand Control of Natural Resources
"Representatives of non-native and native communities on Haida Gwaii joined forces last month to demand a bigger role for the Haida in forest management on the…Queen Charlotte Islands." (Seth Zuckerman, Ecotrust Circuit Rider Dispatch, July 17. Archive: Tidepool, 1998).

Heiltsuk / Hidden Coast Rainforest Project
The Project is an opportunity to help the Heiltsuk reestablish themselves as stewards of the large temperate rainforests of their traditional territory through a conservation strategy that supports this stewardship role.

Home for the Salmon Campaign Mission Statement
Waykaanashmíyay Nisháycht ("Home for the Salmon") is a non-profit educational campaign to restore natural salmon runs in the Columbia River Basin. (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, 1998).

Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group
Formed in 1991 for the purpose of negotiating a treaty with the federal and provincial governments, the Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group consists only of those Hul'qumi'num speaking people from the Chemainus and Cowichan valleys. The six member communities are the Chemainus First Nation, Cowichan Tribes, Halalt First Nation, Lake Cowichan First Nation, Lyackson First Nation and Penelakut Tribe. (1999).

Indigenous Perspectives in Forestry Education Workshop
Full papers from the conference. (First Nations Longhouse, University of British Columbia, June 15-18, 1997).

Inventory of Plants and Animals Culturally Significant to the Nuu-Chah-Nulth of Clayoquot Sound / Inventory of Nuu-Chah-Nulth Cultural Areas by Resource and Association
This particular review of forestry practices is exceptional because it was specifically mandated to include traditional native knowledge in its review of logging on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. (PDF format. Clayoquot Sound Scientific Panel, Report 3, Appendices V and VI. The Scientific Panel for Sustainable Forest Practices in Clayoquot Sound. Archive: British Columbia Forest Service Research Branch, 1994).

Makah Whaling
One page review of the U.S. government's position on the hunt. (PDF format. National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Region, January, 1999).

Makah Whaling
Anti-whaling. (William Rossiter, Whales Alive! 7(4). Cetacean Society International, 1998).

Makah Whaling: A Tangled Web
Anti-whaling. (William Rossiter, Whales Alive! 8(1). Cetacean Society International, 1999).

Makah Whaling Dance
A pretty offensive anti-whaling article from CSI. (William Rossiter, Whales Alive! 6(1). Cetacean Society International, 1997).

Makah Whaling Update
Anti-whaling. (William Rossiter, Whales Alive! 7(3). Cetacean Society International, 1998).

Management Plan for Makah Treaty Gray Whale Hunting for the Years 1998-2002
(Makah Whaling Commission, Archive: NAE, 1998).

Memorandum of Understanding between Tribal Governments and Washington State
About the regulation of environmental protection. They agree to cooperatively manage, protect and restore fish and wildlife habitat. This is the ultimate outcome to Phase II of the Boldt Decision (1974). (Archive: Fourth World Documentation Project, 1989).

Native Member of President's Sustainability Commission Says Don't Look to the Top for Solutions
Ted Strong of the Columbia River Intertribal Fishing Commission expresses skepticism on the role of government and science in promoting sustainable development. (Patrick Mazza, 1995).

Nisga'a Homepage
The Nisga'a have concluded a treaty with British Columbia and they are at the point of answering public concerns and criticisms about its implementation. They are the first British Columbian First Nation to conclude a treaty, with others soon to follow.

Northwest Indian Fishing Commission
The NWIFC was established in 1974 by the treaty tribes in western Washington…The Commission's role is to coordinate an orderly and biologically sound treaty Indian fishery in the Pacific Northwest.

Nuu Chah Nulth Whaling and its Significance for Social and Economic Reproduction
(Travis Reaveley, Chicago Anthropology Exchange Graduate Journal of Anthropology 28(Spring):23-40. Archive: NAE, 1998).

Nuxalk Nation
This web site describes the Nuxalk blockades in 1995 and 1997 to stop logging on their lands. (1997).

Ontario Federation for Individual Rights and Equality
FIRE is an anti-treaty organization that began in British Columbia in 1995 as a protest against treaty rights blockades. The Ontario organization was formed to counter a similar protest in eastern Canada. They oppose treaty negotiations. (1998).

Redefining Winning: The Timber, Fish, Wildlife Process
One of the few articles we've found that discusses the evolution of the "co-management" regime in Washington state after Boldt II, however, it does not discuss the process from the perspective of the tribes involved. (Jim Waldo, Forest Planning Canada 4(3):14-19. Archive: NAE, 1988).

Review of "Eagle Down is Our Law" by Antonia Mills
Book review. (Alx V. Dark, Archive: NAE, 1995).

Skokomish Tribe and the North Fork of the Skokomish River
The city of Tacoma has diverted the North Fork of the Skokomish River for energy production for many years, a development which has significantly interfered with salmon spawning and created siltation problems downstream on the Skokomish Reservation. The tribe is working to restore the river. (1997).

Snoqualmie Falls, Sacred Site: Federal Agency Recommends Continued Operation of Power Plant
The Federal Regulatory Energy Commission recently renewed a license for the Snoqualmie Falls dam, near Seattle, Washington. The Snoqualmie fought this decision because the falls are a religiously significant area to them. (Marsha Shaiman, Archive: NAE).

Susana Santos Interview
Interview with the co-founder of the Sacred Earth Coalition to protect Mount Hood. Discusses Enola Hill and Mount Hood, as well as political activism more generally. (Patrick Mazza, Cascadia Planet, 1995).

The Great Ecology Speech
Briefly describes the history and several versions of Chief Seattle's "ecology" speech. (Nancy Zussy, eJournal, 1996).

The Makah Whaling Conflict
An overview of the history and politics of Makah whaling up to April 1999. (Alx V. Dark, Native Americans and the Environment Web Site, 1999).

Thriving of Wild Salmon
Remarks by the Nuu-chah-nulth chief Simon Lucas on the conservation of wild salmon and the importance of salmon to Northwest Coast Native communities. (Simon Lucas, Suzuki Foundation's Wild Salmon Conference, November 18. Remarks published in The Fisherman, December 13. British Columbia. Archive: NAE, 1988).

Tidepool
An excellent daily roundup of environmental news along the Pacific coast, from northern California to Alaska. Gives good coverage to First Nations issues such as fishing and land rights.

Tough Questions on Indian Fishing
Common questions about Indian treaty fishing rights answered. (Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Archive: Fourth World Documentation Project).

Treaty Indian Tribes and the Endangered Species Act
(PDF format. Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission).

Tribal Environmental and Natural Resource Management Degree Program
This is a new program in integrated resource management in Bellingham, Washington. (Northwest Indian College).

Tribal Participation in the TFW Agreement
The Timber-Fish-Wildlife Agreement. (PDF format. Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, 4 pp).

Tribal Right to Fish
Assesses the Forest Ecosystem Management Assessment Team (FEMAT) and its impact on treaty fishing rights in the Pacific Northwest. FEMAT was convened as a result of Clinton's "Timber Summit" in 1993. (Ted Strong, Archive: NAE).

Tribal Shellfish Resource Management
(PDF format. Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, 4 pp).

Tulalip Natural Resources Home Page
The Tulalip Tribe's Natural Resource Program manages shellfish harvests and salmon fishing.

Walking with Nature: An Interview with Jewell Praying Wolf James and Kenneth Cooper
An Interview with two Lummi natural resource professionals about stereotypes, social justice and spiritual concerns for Native Americans as they manage their lands and resources. (Kari Berger, In Context 24:50. Context Institute, 1997[1990]).

Whales and West Coast Natives
A description of Makah whaling in the old days. A pretty reasonable article on an otherwise pretty hyperbolic site. (Joan Goddard, Victoria Times-Colonist, July 23. Archive: Whales on the Net, 1995).

Wild Salmon Stock Recovery Efforts in Washington
(PDF format. Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, 4 pp).