Nez Perce Tribe Grapples with Decline in Salmon Population
A prevalent saying states, ‘We are what we consume,’ and this was certainly valid for the Nez Perce Tribe over a century ago, who would have been predominantly constituted by salmon. A stark decline has been noted in the salmon population in the Snake River over the past half-century, resulting from the construction of the Lower Snake River dams by the federal government. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, expressed a keen interest in addressing and rectifying this issue during his official visit to the Nez Perce Reservation where he met with tribal leaders.
Kennedy’s meeting with the tribal leaders focused on their persisting efforts to ensure the continuation of traditional nourishment sources like salmon, particularly through hatcheries such as the one at Lenore. His beliefs and approach stand in contradiction to the views of former President Donald Trump, who intended to retract from an agreement established by the Biden administration. This agreement aimed at the rehabilitation of salmon populations and fostering clean energy production was negotiated between the administration, four Northwest tribes, several conservation factions, and the states of Washington and Oregon.
Kennedy expressed his conviction that America needs to recognize and combat the continued societal and health impacts of oppression faced by the Native American population. A major element contributing to this ongoing crisis, according to Kennedy, is the current food system which he claimed is contributing directly to the elevated diabetes and obesity rates among the indigenous tribes. Interestingly, the consumption of salmon emerges as a crucial aspect in this health equation.
The traditional diet of the Nez Perce Tribe reportedly relied heavily on salmon, constituting half of their caloric intake. The Director of the Nez Perce Department of Fisheries Resources Management, Joe Oatman, now estimates this figure to be a mere 1%. These drastic changes in dietary habits elucidate the indispensible role of the hatchery in ensuring continued fish supply for the community.
The Nez Perce Tribe Hatchery shoulders the responsibility of supporting not just the salmon population but also the local wildlife and tribal fisheries with millions of steelhead and a type of salmon known as spring chinook annually. These fish are released into the Snake River Basin, expanding the importance and influence of the hatchery beyond simply contributing to dietary requirements.
The inception of the Nez Perce Tribe Hatchery can be traced back to 2002, however, the preliminary planning and groundwork leading up to its establishment began in 1983, following the enactment of the Power Act. The constructtion of dams, which spurred the conceptualization of this hatchery, have always been the subject of debate due to the potential threat they posed to the survival of salmon; a concern that seems to have been well-founded.
Dams within the Columbia River Basin have rendered over two-fifths of the location’s breeding and rearing habitats wasted for salmon and steelhead. Consequently, it has become vital for the Nez Perce Tribe to restore the salmon population, a sentiment strongly shared by Tribal Chairman Shannon Wheeler.
The decline in salmon availability has larger implications beyond just dietary changes, extending into the health arena. Kennedy poignantly linked the salmon issue to the rise in chronic disease incidents within the American population. In comparison to a chronic disease rate of 6% during the era of President John F. Kennedy, the figure has now skyrocketed to an alarming 60%.
The ramifications of the unhealthy food system currently in place reveal themselves in the area of childhood obesity. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveal a concerning 20% obesity rate among American children as of April 2024, a statistic that Kennedy refers to as a crisis in the United States.
It is, however, not yet certain what specific action plans Kennedy has in mind to address these interconnected issues of salmon depletion and health problems within the Nez Perce Tribe. That said, following his visit, there appears to be a sense of optimism within the tribe and particularly with Chairman Wheeler.
Wheeler has expressed hopes that the attention of the Secretary to their efforts to sustain a species will resonate with the overall administration. His aspiration is that such recognition will reach the presidential office, enhancing their understanding of both the vital position salmon hold within the ecosystem and the critical relationship between the First Nations and the United States of America.