In partnership, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and the Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation hosted the Pacific Northwest Indigenous Aquaculture Summit (“PNWIAS or Summit”) on August 25 – 27, 2024, at the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s 7 Cedars Resort and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribes Administrative Center and Plaza in Blyn, Washington.
The Summit goal was to convene a forum for Indigenous peoples to learn from one another about their aquaculture operations, practices, problems, issues and opportunities. The resulting Summit was an opportunity to reaffirm shared Tribal and First Nations commitment to sustaining and revitalizing traditional aquaculture practices that have nourished communities for generations. The summit also served to deepen connections through collaboration, learning, and mutual support. Another major goal of the event was to provide the ingredients for networking, establishing new partnerships, and identifying how Tribes and First Nations are involved in aquaculture and how these practices are tethered to cultural practices and how aquaculture supports economic opportunities, community health, welfare, resilience, seafood security, and Tribal and First Nation sovereignty and self-governance.
The Summit had three distinct elements, a welcome reception, presentations and discussion and aquaculture operations and research site visits. These field visits were an opportunity to see and learn about viable operating aquaculture operations, innovative research and possible avenues for pursuing commercial level aquaculture.
Sponsorships were crucial to the event, and we want to recognize those that supported the Summit and helped to make it a success. NOAA Fisheries, Office of Aquaculture (UCAR Contract No. “SERVICE005458” and P.O # P2033167) provided support for student participation and USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture (Award Number #: 2024-67015-42735, Proposal Number #: 2024-04609, Accession #: 1032597) supported various costs of the event as well as travel costs for speakers. In addition, several companies engaged in aquaculture donated seafood products at the Welcome Reception including Jamestown Seafoods, Hama Hama Oyster Company and Pacific Aquaculture. We received significant monetary donations from companies such as Northwest Resource Law LLC and the Rangen Feed Company (Wilbur Ellis Corporation) as well as individuals which helped defray the costs of the event. We also received substantial support from Builders Initiative, a not-for-profit foundation. We thank all of our sponsors for their contributions and support of our first PNW Indigenous Aquaculture Summit.
We wish to recognize and thank the PNWIAS Steering Committee, John Dentler, PNW Indigenous Aquaculture Summit chair, Jaiden Grinnell Bosick, Jeanne McKnight, Maria Smithson, Teri King (Program Chair), Ken Cain, Scarlett Tudor, David Winfrey, Jim Parsons and notetaker Suzie O’Neill. The PNWIAS was also supported by the Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation Executive Director, John Dentler, as well as the full Board of Directors, Cyr Couturier, Paul Zajicek, Matt Deines, Levana Mastrangelo, Jim Parsons, Jaiden Grinnell Bosick, Teri King, Scarlett Tudor, Jeanne McKnight, Dick Jones and Wally Stevens.
In addition, we are indebted to Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Chair W. Ron Allen who gave a welcoming address and Loni Grinnell Greninger who offered song and prayer to the attendees, gave an opening address and provided support and guidance throughout the Summit. In addition, we wish to acknowledge the rest of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Council: Rochelle Blankenship, Theresa R. Lehman, and Dana Ward. More information about the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe can be found at https://jamestowntribe.org/. Finally, we wish to recognize the facilities staff of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, and the staff of the 7 Cedars Resort whose work and attention helped make the Summit a success.