Opinion ID: 771494
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Seasonal Fishing

Text: 36 Dr. Lane's report, cited as Exhibit USA-27a, explains that the villages of the Muckleshoot's ancestors were only occupied by the entire village group during the winter season. At other times of the year, portions of the population de-camped in different directions to secure food and other supplies. Judge Boldt recognized this when he wrote, [M]ost groups claimed autumn fishing use rights in the waters near to their winter villages. Spring and summer fishing areas were often more distantly located and often were shared with other groups from other villages. Washington, 384 F. Supp. at 353. The facts before Judge Boldt show that the Muckleshoot's ancestors did not regularly fish outside Elliott Bay, even during the spring and summer fishing seasons. 37 First, the above statements contained in Exhibit USA-27b were not specifically referenced in Finding 76, so their relevance should not be overemphasized. More importantly, the evidence cited by the Muckleshoot does not establish that any seasonal saltwater fishing areas beyond Elliott Bay were usedby their ancestors with enough regularity to establish them as U&A grounds. See also Washington, 384 F. Supp. at 351 (Finding 14) (Marine waters were also used as thoroughfares for travel by Indians who trolled en route. Such occasional and incidental trolling was not considered to make the marine waters traveled thereon the usual and accustomed fishing grounds of the traveling Indians.) (internal exhibit references omitted). 38