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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (July 29, 1983)
July 29,1983 Spilyay Tymoo Y zv- U . ' ' . • - '• ' i Management, protection vital to . . . Trap provides data on fish returns W ith th e n u m b e r o f f i s h e r m e n f i s h i n g th e Deschutes River on the rise, dams blocking the passage between spawning grounds and the ocean and increased recreational use of the river, salmon and steelhead fisheries face a threat to their existence. D im inishing retu rn s spur biologists to seek ways of maintaining adequate popula tion levels. A fish trap installed recently at Sherar’s Bridge on the Deschutes River is one way biologists are able to see what’s going on in the river. Data collected at this site provides information.on escapement of steelhead and fall chinook over Sherar’s Falls. A certain number of fish must return to spawning grounds upriver in order to maintain appropriate popula tion levels providing for all the needs of Deschutes River users. Photo courtesy o f Don Ratliff Besides counting fish, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife employees install fish trap near Sherar’s Falls enabling trap, operated by the Oregon D epartm ent of Fish and escapement count o f fa ll chinook and steelhead. Wildlife, enables, biologists to study life cycles of returning salmon and steelhead and the various ages at which they return. Installed for the first time in 1977, return of progeny from the first spawning season are now being seen. With a life cycle from four to five years collected date is now beginning to have some meaning for biologists. A cco rd in g to research biologist K irk Schroeder, efficient analysis of the data can come only after years of collecting it. “To really look at this with certainty takes 10 to 15 years,” he says. With this data and results of counts taken at Sherar’s Bridge of harvested salmon and steelhead by sport and dipnet fis h e rm e n , e s tim a te s o f escapement can be accurately made. All of this taken together gives ample data to estimate fish population levels in future runs. The trap will remain in the river until October 31 so all returning salmon and steelhead can be counted. Task force to identify problems at Sherar’s, recommend solutions reasons,” he said. The source of financing for the proposed site development, w h ich is a p p r o x im a te ly $500,000, is unknown. State funds would be available, but Clements questioned the state’s involvement, saying there are too many restrictions and that possibly the Tribe will lose control of the area. However, Councilman Larry Calica stated that he didn’t feel it was important where the money came from, just as long as the area was developed and patroled adequately. T ribal atto rn e y D ennis Kamopp said it is important to gain control of the area for the purpose of protection of the water and land. “We need to gain some kind of control of the river use.” Clements again stated that he wanted the Tribe to have complete control over the site. The expense of the proposed development, of the camp grounds could be recovered , from fees charged for the use of ‘ those areas. It was proposed that the Tribe follow the same fee schedule used by the state, ^1- Coyote News 1 $5 per night during the summer and $4 per night during the winter. A p p r o x im a te ly 36,000 rafters take out at Sherar’s ★ * ★ * * * ♦ * Spilyay Tymoo S ta ff* ♦ * ♦ * . ★ ♦ * during a nine month season. “It would not be difficult to MANAGING EDITOR .. . . . . . . Sid Miller amortize development funds” if ASSISTANT EDITOR . . .. . . . . / . . ......... Donna Behrend a rafter fee was initiated, said Dark'room/Writer Marsha Shewczyk Karnopp. Reporter '£ Pat Leno Warm Springs Chief of Police Jeff Sanders presented Typesetter ' Priscilla Squiemphen f o u r la w e n f o r c e m e n t propositions. The fourth and FOUNDED IN MARCH OF 1976 feast expensive, approximately $19,000, was preferred by Published bi-weekly by the Confederated Tribes of the Sanders. He proposed that one Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon. Warm Springs, officer be hired to work the Oregon 97761. Located in the Old Administration Building. area six months a year. Any written material to Spilyay Tymoo should be addressed Yet to be selected by Tribal to: Council is the Sherar’s Bridge committee. The committee, Spilyay Tymoo consisting of fishermen who P.O. Box 735 use the area, will be selected by Warm Springs, Oregon 97761 fellow-fishermen and it will be Phone 553-1644 or 553-1161, Ext. 274, 285 , their responsibility to decide and The Darkroom ext. 286 th e a c tu a l fis h in g site allocations and to handle any Subscription Rate: $6.00 per year D ev elo p ed to id en tify Council was presented with problefns that exist at the development concepts for a raft Sherar’s Bridge, fishing site and take-out site, campground and to recommend to the Warm day use areas. Also presented S p rin g s T r ib a l C o u n c il was a law enforcement plan for solutions to those problems, a Sherar’s Bridge. seven-member task force has One concern mentioned been working since mid-May during the presentation was developing. recommendations that of the rafters and the ta ke- and working up a comprehen- out sites used. Many rafters, siv e d e v e l o p m e n t a n d said one fishermen, are abusive management plan for the area. and intoxicated when putting The Sherar’s Bridge Task out. When in this condition, F orce, chaired by trib al said the fishermen, it is a tto rn e y Jim N o teb o o m , dangerous for the rafters as consists of Delbert Frank, Sr., well as the people fishing. She Ellen Heath, Jeromé Main, Jeff urged the council to act quickly Sanders, Merrit Y oungdeer on any plans for the area. and Gene Greene. The task Councilman Mike Clements force has dealt 'With three also stated that there are primary areas of concern, those “treaty reasons why rafters being general la w enforcement, shouldn’t go” beyond the allocation of fishing sites and proposed take-out develop ment site, which is one mile management of the area. The task force was directed above the bridge. When the by Tribal Council to draw up rafters go farther, fisheries are plans and recommendations disturbed. “The BIA needs to for the site. July 26, Tribal help us uphold these treaty S p ily a y T ym oo Photo courtesy of Don RatUff disputes that may arise. I he committee will operate in a traditional way, similar to the Celilo fishing committee. Though these plans are still in the working stages and nothing has yet been decided as far as site development and law enforcement goes, it is felt by some that the matters are urgent and should be dealt with quickly.
