Nearly three dozen Skagitonians listened with rapt attention to learn the roots of the fish wars, one of the Pacific Northwest’s defining political conflicts at Skagit City School May 18.
Dr. Kestrel A. Smith, a professor and department chair of the American Indian Indigenous Studies program at Wenatchee Valley College-Omak, shared her expertise in a lecture entitled, “Fish Wars: Tribal Rights, Resistance, and Resiliency in the Pacific Northwest.” It was part of the Skagit County Historical Museum’s latest Topics @ the School lecture series.
The fish wars have particular historical resonance in Skagit County. A 1963 court case involving Joe McCoy of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community helped increase the urgency of that ongoing conflict.
Smith’s presentation furnished context to understand how these issues evolved and why they still matter.
Two historical and legal foundations underlie tribal rights and define tribal relationships with the United States government.
First is tribal sovereignty, which Smith defined as “the inherent fundamental right to self-govern.” Second are the treaties, nation-to-nation agreements that remain the law of the land.
However, as Smith repeated, a legal right in theory has not always been put into practice.
Audience members repeatedly murmured in frustration and shock when learning that legal rights, affirmed by courts, were practically meaningless.
From the earliest days of statehood, Washington officials undermined treaty rights. Even when courts recognized tribes’ superior rights, enforcement failed.
Tribes recognized that if they did not fight to exercise and maintain their treaty rights, they would lose them for future generations, Smith said.
By the 1960s, tribal members deployed a nonviolent strategy of fish-ins to practice their treaty rights. They were met with violence, arrests, and confiscation of gear.
The fish wars culminated with the 1974 Boldt Decision, which affirmed treaty rights, allocated tribes 50% of harvestable fish, and established co-management between Washington and treaty tribes.
According to Smith, a lot of good work that is happening today for responsible salmon co-management is rooted in the fish wars and the persistent resilience of tribes.
Wherever salmon are involved, these underlying issues remain relevant because sovereignty and treaties remain in effect.
“Building understanding of these realities is just the first essential step in achieving social, cultural, and political justice,” Smith said.
Smith’s lecture concluded a three-part series sponsored by the museum and funded by Humanities Washington’s Speakers Bureau program. More than 100 people attended the series, which focused on Indigenous issues.
According to museum director Jo Wolfe, Humanities Washington makes experts available from across the state through its Speakers Bureau program. Because of recent funding cuts, future sponsorship from Humanities Washington is uncertain.
Starting in June, a new series of Topics @ the School will begin, featuring local writers telling “Skagit Stories.”
Adam M. Sowards: Adam is a writer and Pacific Northwest historian. The author of several award-winning books, Sowards grew up in the region and has lived in Skagit Valley since 2021.
