THE THREE SKAGIT INDIAN TRIBES IN NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON, REPRESENTED BY THEIR FISHERY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION, SKAGITSYSTEM COOPERATIVE, DEPEND FOR THEIR COMMERCIAL LIVELIHOOD AND THEIR TRIBAL SOCIAL COHESION ON THEIR HARVEST OF STEAD- ILY DECLINING

THE THREE SKAGIT INDIAN TRIBES IN NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON, REPRESENTED BY THEIR FISHERY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION, SKAGITSYSTEM COOPERATIVE, DEPEND FOR THEIR COMMERCIAL LIVELIHOOD AND THEIR TRIBAL SOCIAL COHESION ON THEIR HARVEST OF STEAD- ILY DECLINING PACIFIC SALMON RUNS. THE SKAGIT TRIBAL AQUA- CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT HAS AS ITS OBJECTIVE THE RENEWAL OF THE DECLINING TRIBAL SOCIAL ECONOMY, NOW DEPENDENT ON INCREASINGLY UNRELIABLE COMMERCIAL FISHING, THROUGH ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTEGRATED AQUACULTURAL SYSTEM OF MANAGED SALMON FARMING. THE PROJECT APPROACH WILL COUPLECURRENT FISHERIES SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT METHODS WITH PRESENT-DAY AQUACULTURE TECHNOLOGY, JOINED WITH PRIVATE, NON-INDIAN CAPITAL AND MARKET SOURCES, TO ALLOW THE TRIBES TO ACQUIRE MINORITY OWNERSHIP OF THE PROJECT WHILE ESTAB- LISHING PROVEN PRODUCTION AND MARKETING TECHNIQUES. EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE A BASELINE AQUA- CULTURAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, TRIBAL FAMILIARITY WITH NEW CAPITAL AND PRODUCTION MARKETS AND DEMONSTRATION OF THE VIABILITY OF A FUTURE ECONOMIC BASE FOR TRIBAL SELF- SUFFICIENCY. MAJOR PRODUCTS OF THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE: (1) DATABASE FOR FUTURE AQUACULTURAL PRODUCT-LINE DEVELOP- MENT; (2) INCUBATOR AQUACULTURAL FACILITY; (3) DOCUMENTED TECHNICAL PROCEDURES AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS; (4) CREATION OFA CORE TEAM OF AQUACULTURE MANAGEMENT; AND (5) TESTED LINK- AGES BETWEEN TRIBAL AND NON-INDIAN DECISION MAKERS IN THE CAPITAL AND DISTRIBUTION MARKETS.