The Fight to Reopen the River
As high costs of living plague local farmers, the Courier-Reporter calls on the fisheries commission to restore public fishing rights on the lower Yakima River.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Several years ago before the lower Yakima river was closed to salmon fishing, thousands of pounds of excellent food fish were caught there each year. The catches were made by the farmers who worked together in seining clubs and for the most part the fish were salted down for home use. At the last session of the legislature, an effort was made to have the seining rights restored to permit local residents to take fish from the river for their own use. This amendment to the fisheries bill, however, was sidetracked and the fisheries commission was empowered to prescribe such regulations as it saw fit to control fishing in the Yakima below the Prosser dam. As yet these regulations have not been announced. With the whole nation bending every possible effort to increase and conserve the food supply, the fisheries commission in opening the river would not only be doing good service to many farmers but would be doing something in the general program of increased food production. Unfortunately the high prices of grain and former low prices of pork has practically banished the hog from this valley, and the meat bill is probably the most serious phase of the high cost of living which the farmer has to face. In many instances the annual meat bill could be materially reduced if the farmer were permitted to use the spear or the sein to catch the fish that swim past his doors.
“In many instances the annual meat bill could be materially reduced if the farmer were permitted to use the spear or the sein to catch the fish that swim past his doors.”
This piece highlights a century-old tension between central state management and local access to natural resources. It mirrors current discussions about the Yakima River's health and the struggle to balance indigenous rights, conservation, and local sustenance.
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