The Summit will be held at the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe's 7 Cedars Resort on the Olympic Peninsula, in Washington State.
Photo: 7 Cedars Casino Instagram profile.
Tribal and First Nations leaders, aquaculture students, researchers, and natural resource professionals from across the Pacific Northwest are gathering today for the second annual Pacific Northwest Indigenous Aquaculture Summit. Following the success of the first edition held in August last year, this year's event has been moved to September and extended from three to four days, running from today, the 15th, through Thursday the 18th.
Organized by the Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation (KGASF) in partnership with the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe (JST), the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe's 7 Cedars Resort on the Olympic Peninsula will host the gathering for the second consecutive year, welcoming representatives from 18 Northwest Tribes, along with a delegation from the Northeastern Region of the United States.
The event begins today, Monday, with a welcome reception at the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribal Center. The second day, tomorrow, Tuesday, September 16, will be devoted entirely to conference sessions analyzing the progress of indigenous aquaculture in the U.S. and Canada, and the third, Wednesday, September 17, will be devoted to discussing developments and opportunities in indigenous restoration aquaculture. Both sessions will be held at the 7 Cedars Resort. The final session, on Thursday, September 18, will include visits to aquaculture facilities in the area.
The organizers emphasized that, by bringing together communities to share knowledge and strengthen connections among Tribes, the Pacific Northwest Indigenous Aquaculture Summit celebrates the enduring legacy and future promise of Indigenous aquaculture.
Reviving and honoring ancestral aquaculture traditions; the sustainable production of finfish, shellfish, and sea vegetables; tribal-led innovation, marketing, and enterprise development; and strategies for shaping effective natural resource policy and advocacy are the key topics that will be addressed during these four days on the Olympic Peninsula.
KGASF President Jaiden Grinnell Bosick explained that, through collaborative discussions, scientific presentations, and cultural exchange, participants will explore how Tribal communities are blending ancestral wisdom with modern innovation to restore access to abundant seafood, expand Tribal enterprises, and advance restorative aquaculture practices.
"This conference is about coming together as Tribal communities," Grinnell Bosick said. "Our waters and our foods tie us to who we are. By sharing knowledge across Tribal Nations, we strengthen those connections and create lasting opportunities for our children and grandchildren to thrive, earn a living, and provide for our communities."
Jaiden Grinnell Bosick, who was named President of the Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation in May last year, is one of two daughters of the late Kurt Grinnell, a respected tribal leader, aquaculture pioneer, and descendant of Chief Chetzemoka, whose vision the Summit continues.
As Vice Chair of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribal Council and a representative on numerous regional and national boards, Kurt Grinnell championed Tribal sovereignty and food security. In their release, the Summit organizers emphasized that, guided by the principle of planning 'Seven Generations Ahead', he worked tirelessly to ensure that aquaculture would remain a source of strength and resilience for Indigenous communities.
The Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation was established in his honor in 2021. The non-profit organization provides financial assistance to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students in the United States and Canada who wish to pursue careers related to aquaculture and natural resources.
Since its inception in 2022, it has awarded seven scholarships to Tribal and First Nations students - the latest were awarded in April 2025 - totalling USD 50,000, and this year it is again accepting applications until October 15.