Could rising mercury levels be a threat to Northwest tribes?
Yakama tribal member Johnny Jackson figures he eats fish at least twice a day. Maybe more.
While mercury and other toxins found in Columbia River fish may be putting him at risk, he refuses to abandon tribal tradition.
"I think my people will always be eating salmon," said Jackson, chief of the Cascade band of the Yakamas. "It's the first food on the table. It's No. 1 in our culture."
Mercury, a long-lasting chemical that accumulates in the food chain, can cause neurological damage, learning disabilities and memory loss. But its effects on tribal members — some of whom eat fish up to 10 times more than non-Indians — remains unknown.
"My fear is that one of these times, none of our traditional foods is going to be safe to eat," said tribal fisherman Wilbur Slockish Jr., hereditary chief of the Klickitat band of the Yakamas. "A lot of development isn't geared toward health; it's geared toward economic benefit. Health is the least concern."
Continue reading this article from the Yakima Herald:
Could rising mercury levels be a threat to the tribes?
