Friday October 21, 2022
Eureka Times-Standard —
When the Yurok Reservation was established in 1855, the federal government recognized the Yurok Tribe’s fishing, hunting and water rights, but Yurok Chairman Joseph James says the development of dams, diversions, mining, logging and overfishing have impinged on those rights.
“And now the impacts of climate change, including drought, is greatly impacting us,” James said.
At the 49th annual Zeke Grader Fisheries Forum on Wednesday afternoon, convened by state Sen. Mike McGuire, chair of the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture, James asked the state to (1) enforce in-stream flow requirements in the Shasta, Scott, Trinity and Klamath rivers as necessary to keep fish alive during drought conditions, (2) appropriate funding for habitat restoration and water quality improvement on the Klamath River, (3) support the tribe’s efforts to resolve its water rights claim, and (4) support tribal inclusion in research, monitoring and restoration efforts for drought.
“Indigenous people have lived on this land since the beginning of time and have an in-depth understanding of ecosystems, including tribal perspectives and tribal knowledge that will be beneficial as we move forward in the future,” James said.