Suquamish Tribe turns treaty fishing right into global money maker

Thursday, February 3, 2011  

The Suquamish Tribe of Washington is turning its treaty fishing right into an economic development machine.

The tribe's waters are home to one of the world's largest colonies of geoducks, a large clam that is considered a delicacy in Asia and among Asians in the U.S. Prices have reached a high of $15 a pound, turning the shellfish into a $6 million business for the tribe and its members.

"Oh, $1,000, maybe $2,000," Kyle Purser, a tribal fisherman, told The Wall Street Journal of the price his day's catch will fetch on the market. "Not bad for 90 minutes' work."

The tribe has used shellfish profits as collateral to finance its casino and develop other businesses.

Get the Story:
For New Year, Chinese Shell Out Big For Tribes' Supersize Clams (The Wall Street Journal 2/3)