In 1977, four Indian tribes with treaty fishing rights on the Columbia River formed the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) to coordinate fish management policies and objectives. The participants are the Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, and Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Indian Nation. CRITFC has its headquarters office in Portland.
According to CRITFC, the people of the four tribes spoke different languages and had some cultural differences but, before Euro-Americans and Canadians moved into the region, shared the foundation of a regional economy based on salmon. They used salmon for ceremonial, subsistence and commercial purposes, and continue to do so today. On behalf of the tribes, CRITFC works on restoring Columbia River Basin salmon runs. The agency conducts fisheries research, functions as a salmon advocacy group, conducts planning for salmon fisheries in the Indian-only fishing zone of the Columbia between Bonneville and McNary dams, and conducts law enforcement on tribal fisheries.
External link: CRITFC's website