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Article: U.S. High Court Upholds Tribes'Shellfish Rights/Justices reject appeal by Washington state growers and property owners
- Article from:
- Yakima Herald-Republic
- Article date:
- April 6, 1999
CopyrightCopyright 1999 Yakima Herald-Republic. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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OLYMPIA (AP) - In a huge victory for Washington tribes, the U.S.
Supreme Court on Monday affirmed their right to harvest shellfish
on private beaches. The decision stunned private property owners.
The court rejected without comment an appeal of a lower-court
ruling that upheld the tribes' shellfish rights. State officials,
shellfish growers and private property owners had challenged that
decision, contending the Indians' 19th century treaties give them no
legal claim to shellfish on private property.
"Once again, the Supreme Court has made it clear that the tribes'
treaty-reserved rights to natural resources in western Washington
are as valid today as the day the treaties were signed," said ...