Lummi Tribe Asserts Reservation Rights Against Fishermen
Armed tribal members detain eight foreign fishermen in Hales Pass, leaving local authorities powerless to intervene.
A band of armed Lummi Indians Sunday captured eight Austrian fishermen in Hales pass and took them to Lummi island, where the fishermen were held as prisoners. The Indians seized the fishermen’s boat and their nets. Because the land on which the prisoners are held is part of the Lummi Indian reservation and under federal jurisdiction, the sheriff of Whatcom county said he was unable to rescue the prisoners.
“Because the land on which the prisoners are held is part of the Lummi Indian reservation and under federal jurisdiction the sheriff of Whatcom county said he was unable to rescue the prisoners.”
This incident highlights the long-standing and complex legal battles over tribal sovereignty and fishing rights in the Pacific Northwest. While the state's jurisdictional reach has evolved significantly since 1916, the tension between tribal treaty rights and non-Indigenous commercial interests remains a potent civic theme today.
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