Salmon began to evolve into the species around today about six million years ago. Salmon have been used as a food source for humans for thousands of years. Humans used large numbers of salmon as far back as 9,000 years ago. The early salmon runs were perhaps the most productive in the history of salmon. The Colombia River made netting, spearing, and trapping the fish pretty easy for the native people.

During the Ice Age, salmon took refuge in areas such as the southern Oregon coastline, the California coastline and the Queen Charlotte Islands of British Colombia. These areas were not covered in ice, or affected by unstable rivers. Salmon were most likely more abundant when the climate was cool and wet; and less abundant during warm, dry periods.

Seven types of salmon have been places on the endangered species list. During the mid-1800's, it is estimated that 16 million adult salmon returned to the Colombia River drainage to spawn. That number is now estimated at one-tenth of the original 16 million. More than 70 percent of the salmon on many streams aren't wild. Hatchery fish dominate the runs; 9 out of 10 runs that were originally wild are now extinct.

Moulton, Coby and Jeff Neal. John Day Screen Shop Field Trip. October 5, 1999.

Once the salmon have been recovered, I think that the Native American tribes should have more privileges to fish the salmon than anyone else should, since they have been utilizing that resource longer, and it is part to their heritage.

Kluger, Jeffery. "Saving the Salmon." TIME. 29 March 1999: 60-61.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Colombia River, Native American, Native Americans, Opinion Based, Sockeye Coho, British Colombia, History Salmon, Status Seven, Bell-Irving Salmon, Ice Age, field trip, endangered species list, ago salmon, colombia river, march 1999, john day, cattle waste, history salmon, save salmon, salmon found, british colombia, salmon endangered species,
Approximate Word count = 1079
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)