Celebrating Lamprey at Willamette Falls

Hundreds gathered at the fifth annual Yakama Nation Lamprey Celebration to honor the Pacific lamprey, an ancient, jawless fish vital to Northwest tribes. After a traditional harvest, lamprey were shared locally and strategically released downstream to help them bypass dams and reach spawning grounds—critical as numbers have plummeted from hundreds of thousands to under 20,000 annually. The Willamette Falls remains one of the few places where tribes can still harvest these resilient fish, often in a “salvage” effort since many don’t make it upstream. Yakama Nation Fisheries is aiding by releasing lamprey into scentless streams to guide them to spawning areas. Attendees got hands-on with the fish, tasted grilled lamprey known for its rich nutrients, and witnessed cultural dances and speeches. The event also spotlighted a major “rewilding” initiative for the Willamette Falls, backed by state and private funding, aiming to restore Indigenous ties and ecological balance to the river. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/cf42d98893307cb4