For thousands of years, Native Americans thrived on salmon fishing on the Columbia River. They traded dried fish with other native people all over the west. In the 1870s, later settlers also made commercial fishing a way of life. It remains a strong part of the region's economy today.
While salmon were historically the most important catch, their declining numbers led fishermen to turn to other river and ocean fisheries during the 20th century. Tuna, groundfish, shrimp, shellfish, and crab are now significant harvests.
Fishing is one of the most dangerous of occupations. Captains and crew rely on hard-won skill and knowledge to navigate the Columbia River and North Pacific waters to bring in their catch. But however hard, fishers call theirs a rewarding way of life.
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