Court-ordered Changes to Pacific Coast Treaty Indian Tribe’s Usual and Accustomed Fishing Areas
Summary
NOAA Fisheries adopted usual and accustomed (U&A) fishing area boundaries for several Pacific Coast Tribes in 1996 and published those boundaries in federal fishing regulations for species managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA). Since 1996, some Tribal U&A fishing area boundaries have been amended, as ordered by the courts.
On November 16, 2023, the United States District Court set forth updated boundaries for the Hoh Indian Tribe U&A fishing areas off the Washington coast. NOAA Fisheries announced publication of a final rule on July 23, 2024, implementing the court’s final judgement. Latitude and longitude coordinates of the tribal U&A fishing areas are shown in Table 1, below.
The Pacific Coast Treaty Indian Tribal U&A fishing areas are referenced at 50 CFR 300.64 and 50 CFR 660.4, and the Hoh Indian Tribe boundaries have been updated.
These changes to U&A fishing area boundaries do not modify fishing regulations for Tribal and non-tribal fishers that may apply within or outside of those areas.
Table 1: Latitude and longitude coordinates describing the boundaries of the Hoh Indian Tribe U&A fishing areas before and after the 2023 Court order.
| Old | New | |
| 50 CFR 300.64(i) & 50 CFR 660.4(3) | The area between 47°54.30′ N lat. (Quillayute River) and 47°21.00′ N lat. (Quinault River) and east of 125°44.00′ W long. | A polygon commencing at the Pacific coast shoreline near the mouth of the Quillayute River, located at latitude 47°54’30” north, longitude 124°38’31” west; then proceeding west approximately forty nautical miles at that latitude to a northwestern point located at latitude 47°54’30” north, longitude 125°38’18” west; then proceeding in a southeasterly direction mirroring the coastline at a distance no farther than forty nautical miles from the mainland Pacific coast shoreline, to a point located at latitude 47°31’42” north, longitude 125°20’26” west, then proceeding east along that line of latitude approximately ten nautical miles to a point located at latitude 47°31’42” north, longitude 125°5’48” west, then proceeding in a southeasterly direction mirroring the coastline at a distance no farther than thirty nautical miles from the mainland Pacific coast shoreline to a point located at latitude 47°21’00” north, longitude 125°2’52” west; then proceeding east along that line of latitude to the Pacific coast shoreline near the mouth of the Quinault River, located at latitude 47°21’00” north, longitude 124°18’8” west. |