Quinaults make major play for Willapa-Columbia fishing rights

Published 1:30 am Friday, May 29, 2026

In a move with massive implications for commercial and recreational fishermen — and for the Chinook Indian Nation — a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife email leaked May 28 confirms the Quinault Indian Nation is seeking fishery rights in Willapa Bay and the Lower Columbia River.

“The Quinault have indicated their intent to seek a determination from the federal court in U.S. v. Washington alleging they have a treaty right to harvest throughout Shoalwater and Willapa bays and about 60 miles up the Columbia River,” WDFW Columbia River Fishery Manager Ryan Lothrop said in the email obtained by the Chinook Observer.

“Before Quinault can bring their allegations to the court, they have to hold a ‘meet and confer’ with the U.S. v. WA parties, including Washington and treaty tribes. The meet and confer is scheduled for this Friday (May 29),” Lothrop added.

Lothrop confirmed late Thursday afternoon that the email obtained by the Observer and the situation to which is refers are real. The May 29 meeting is between parties to the litigation and is not open to the public or news media.

United States v. Washington — commonly known as the Boldt Decision — in 1974 gave tribes who were parties to 1850s treaties the right to half the catch in their “usual and accustomed grounds and stations,” with the tribes and the state managing the fisheries together. Willapa Bay, the south Washington coast and the Columbia River estuary were largely spared many direct consequences of Boldt because there weren’t ratified fishing treaties covering this area.

If the Quinault claim is upheld, their fishers could be entitled to half of the lucrative Dungeness crab fishery in the area, along with a half share of fin fisheries, such as salmon returning to Willapa Bay and the Columbia estuary. The Lower Columbia is co-managed by WDFW and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The Chinook Indian Nation, unrecognized by the federal government and presently lacking treaty fishing rights, would find their long-time territory under the control of the Quinault, their traditional rivals. The Quinault have played a key behind-the-scenes role in opposing Chinook recognition efforts. The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe is federally recognized but their current fishery rights are unclear at the time of this report.

A message from the Chinook Indian Nation stated, “All citizens, tribal and nontribal, of Chinook territory: we stand with you, and we will fight this every step of the way. The Quinault Indian Nation has no rightful claim to exercise any fishing and hunting rights in Willapa Bay or on the great Columbia River. This is the Chinook Indian Nation’s homeland.

“Generations of Chinook fought to remain here with the bones of our ancestors, and we carry that same responsibility and commitment today. We are still here, and we will not allow another nation to usurp our inheritance or speak over our history, identity, and rights in our own homeland.

“The Chinook Indian Nation has always had an obligation to the people, lands, waters, animals, fish, and shellfish of our region, and we will always defend what we have inherited from our ancestors and steward it for all of the residents within our territory — tribal and non-tribal — and their future generations.”

The Chinook Indian Nation invited all to join their coalition to keep Quinault hands off Chinook lands.

The Quinault plans have been circulating for several months but there was no documentation to validate the allegations, and none of the parties have been willing to speak on the record.

Sources disclosed to the Observer that the Shoalwater Tribe was notified via letter months ago. However, the tribe did not respond to an email from the Observer seeking confirmation they had been notified.

The Observer submitted a public records request with WDFW on April 15 asking for the letter and/or emails regarding the matter. On April 21, WDFW Public Records Specialist Keri Street issued the Observer a formal notification that the agency had received the request, but provided an estimated time of fulfillment of Nov. 13.

This is a developing story and we will have more in-depth coverage as details become available.