Being Frank

  May 2021

Ocean Conditions, Lost Habitat Drive Salmon Concerns

Whatcom Watch

by Lorraine Loomis Treaty tribes and our state salmon co-managers are looking ahead to another grim year of fishing because of poor ocean conditions that reduce marine survival, and the ongoing loss of freshwater habitat. Higher marine water temperatures, changing … Continue reading →

Comments Off on Ocean Conditions, Lost Habitat Drive Salmon Concerns

  April 2021

Billy Frank Jr. Statue Gaining Momentum

Whatcom Watch

by Lorraine Loomis Treaty Indian tribes in western Washington strongly support proposed state legislation to place a statue of the late natural resources and civil rights champion Billy Frank Jr. to replace Marcus Whitman in our nation’s capital. We think … Continue reading →

Comments Off on Billy Frank Jr. Statue Gaining Momentum

  March 2021

Increased Outdoor Recreation Impacting Tribal Treaty Rights

Whatcom Watch

by Lorraine Loomis Already robust levels of hiking, camping, boating and every other kind of outdoor recreation in our region has exploded during the Covid-19 pandemic as many try to cure the effects of cabin fever. Increased outdoor recreation has … Continue reading →

Comments Off on Increased Outdoor Recreation Impacting Tribal Treaty Rights

  February 2021

A Big Step Towards Accountability for Habitat Impacts

Whatcom Watch

by Lorraine Loomis Habitat loss and damage is the driving factor for the decline of salmon in our region. It doesn’t discriminate and never stops. Every hour of every day it kills salmon, including salmon listed under the federal Endangered … Continue reading →

Comments Off on A Big Step Towards Accountability for Habitat Impacts

  January 2021

Time for Fish-Killing Dam to Go

Whatcom Watch

by Lorraine Loomis It’s time to get rid of the Electron Hydroelectric Dam on the Puyallup River that has been killing salmon, steelhead, bull trout and other fish for more than a century. The dam is so old that it … Continue reading →

Comments Off on Time for Fish-Killing Dam to Go

  December 2020

Tribal Watersheds Report Shows Little Improvement; Hope Remains

Whatcom Watch

by Lorraine Loomis I wish there were better news in our 2020 State of Our Watersheds Report that will be released later this month, but at best we are treading water on a few indicators of the overall health of … Continue reading →

Comments Off on Tribal Watersheds Report Shows Little Improvement; Hope Remains

  December 2020

A Time to Remember

Whatcom Watch

by Lorraine Loomis This fall marks the 50th anniversary of an event that sparked the landmark ruling by federal Judge George Boldt in U.S. v. Washington that upheld our treaty-reserved rights to hunt, fish and gather. It was Sept. 9, … Continue reading →

Comments Off on A Time to Remember

  Oct/Nov 2020

Tribes, State Team Up on Harbor Seal Survey

Whatcom Watch

by Lorraine Loomis What we don’t know about populations of harbor seals and California sea lions in western Washington could be hurting salmon, orcas and other marine species — as well as fishing communities and economies — far more than … Continue reading →

Comments Off on Tribes, State Team Up on Harbor Seal Survey

  September 2020

Pacts Offers Path to Streamside Habitat Protection

Whatcom Watch

by Lorraine Loomis The most powerful actions we can take to recover our region’s salmon are to give our rivers and streams room to breathe while protecting the land and vegetation lining their banks. The Timber/Fish/Wildlife (TFW) Agreement and Forests … Continue reading →

Comments Off on Pacts Offers Path to Streamside Habitat Protection

  August 2020

Covid Impacts Tribal Natural Resources Management Traditions

Whatcom Watch

by Lorraine Loomis Like communities across Washington, treaty Indian tribes are coping with what we all hope are the worst days of the Covid-19 pandemic that has disrupted every part of our daily lives, economies and traditions. High rates of … Continue reading →

Comments Off on Covid Impacts Tribal Natural Resources Management Traditions