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Island of Resilience: The Wiyot Reclaim Their Land and Culture from a Dark Past

This past October, the City of Eureka returned the island to the Wiyot people. Although in 2014 the Wiyot Tribe was able to complete the World Renewal Ceremony that was cut short by the massacre, this March, they will be holding this sacred ceremony on their own island. The land, which has long been known as Indian Island, will now be called by the Wiyot name, Tuluwat Island. This unconditional return of land by a U.S. city to its original Native owners is a historic opportunity for both the tribe and the island to heal.

“This story tells you that you can change history,” said Tribal Administrator Michelle Vassel. “But it doesn’t happen just because it’s right. It takes a lot of people working over time.”

Nordic’s fish farm plans beginning to take shape

While they’re not exactly finalized, a Norwegian company’s plans for a proposed fish farm at the site of a former pulp mill are starting to take shape.

“It takes about two years to build it,” said Marianne Naess, Nordic Aquafarms’ commercial director, at a meeting attended by a couple dozen people at the Wharfinger Building in Eureka on Tuesday night.

Nordic Aquafarms is still going through the permitting process to build the $400 million on-land fish farm on the Samoa Peninsula, but Naess said she expects the company to complete that process this summer and start demolition of the old buildings within a year to a year-and-half. Construction will likely start in 2021 or 2022, meaning fish will be on the market around 2024 or so, Naess said.

In terms of the soil and groundwater, Erik Nielsen, of SHN, said “they’re chipping away at the facility as things become available” because the buildings that remain are blocking their ability to check for dioxins and heavy metals, but so far the results are favorable.

Humboldt Bay gets $10 million for jetty repairs

Last year, emergency shoaling conditions shut down Humboldt Bay, but a big chunk of funding from the federal government should help make the infrastructure improvements needed to keep that from happening in the future.

On Monday, U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) announced the Humboldt Bay and harbor are receiving $10,892,000 in the fiscal year 2020 Army Corps of Engineers work plan for dredging and repair work to the north and south jetties.

“Local economies depend on ‘forgotten harbors,’” Huffman said in a statement. ” … I am thrilled that we will finally be able to address the recreational, commercial, and public safety problems that come from delayed dredging. The safety and viability of commercial and recreational traffic is the highest priority, and I thank the Army Corps for taking action on this urgent infrastructure need.”

The Humboldt Bay jetties are in a high energy wave environment, which means the water is very powerful, and over the course of time has pounded away at the rocks that make up the jetties, said Edwin S. Townsley, deputy for project management at the San Francisco District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Humboldt's Climate Trouble

As scientists throughout the world describe the mounting impacts from climate change and the accelerating timeline in which they’re expected, KEET sits down with three local experts to discuss what Humboldt County can expect in the decades ahead. The county, these officials warn, will be among the worst hit in the state.

Watch HERE

THE ECONEWS REPORT: Are Humboldt Bay King Tides a Harbinger of Sea Level Rise?

You may have noticed it: the bay seems particularly high this time of year. The extreme high tides of winter have a name: King Tides. And they can help illustrate the effects of rising sea levels.

Volunteers are needed to document the high tides and the way sea level rise will impact our bay. Sign up for Humboldt Baykeeper’s King Tides Photo Initiative!

Click HERE to listen to the show, or tune in wherever you get your podcasts.