The Boldt Decision, Then and Now- 50 Years Later
Bellingham City Club’s February program focuses on the 50th anniversary of the Boldt decision which upheld the rights of members of several Western Washington Indian tribes to fish with nets off reservation in accordance with terms of treaties signed in the 1850s. Tickets are now available for the Wednesday, February 28 program and catered lunch served at 11:45 am at the Bellingham Yacht Club, 2625 S Harbor Loop Dr, Bellingham . Early registration is highly recommended at https://bhamcityclub.wildapricot.org/event-5600278/registration. Space is limited.
“Fishing in All the Usual and Accustomed Places” were the 8 words in the 1855 Treaties with Washington Tribes that changed the fishing industry in the Northwest and continue to be consequential in decisions that have placed limits on heavy industry and development. The Boldt Decision, named after U.S. District Court Judge George Boldt, brought about far-reaching societal changes as it reinforced tribal sovereignty and began to remedy centuries of racial injustice.
Judge Boldt’s decision along with subsequent cases confirmed that the 20 treaty tribes had the right to harvest half of the catch in Puget Sound in all their traditional fishing areas, but perhaps even more importantly as the water wars heat up, tribes are entitled to "harvestable" fish and a habitat that produces them.
Our speakers will explain the history of this momentous decision and its effects that are still resonating in our land and water use planning today. They will explore the politics and challenges behind the Boldt decision and bring us up to date on the present state of the harvest.
Bellingham City Club’s mission is to inform, connect, and engage our community to strengthen the civic health of our region. Membership is open to all who support our mission and involves modest annual dues to pay speaker expenses and support operations. More information is available at bellinghamcityclub.org.
