‘Fish War’ screens in Olympia

On Saturday, April 19, Olympia remembered the Boldt ruling with a screening of "Fish War’" at the historic Capitol Theater.

The 80-minute documentary retraces the battle lines of the fish wars and the landmark Boldt decision. 

The Olympia Film Society hosted the event in partnership with the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and Salmon Defense.

“When the state of Washington made it illegal for tribes to fish for salmon in their usual and accustomed places, it was a declaration of war,” the film’s description reads. 

Directed by Jeff Ostenson, Charles Atkinson, and Skylar Wagner, "Fish War" tells the story of Indigenous resistance. It documents how treaty tribes fought back and how the Boldt decision, handed down in 1974, forced the state to honor its word. 

The ruling on the landmark case of United States v. Washington affirmed treaty tribes were entitled to half the harvestable salmon in their traditional fishing grounds. It also made tribes co-managers of Washington’s fisheries. 

The film tracks what came before and what followed. It confronts legal battles, including “habitat destruction and climate change that threaten to destroy salmon runs forever.” 

After the screening, a panel took the stage. 

Willie Frank III of the Nisqually Tribe sat beside Stillaguamish Vice-Chair Kadi Bizyayeva and Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission Vice-Chair Lisa Wilson of the Lummi Nation. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Kelly Susewind also joined them. 

“We wouldn’t have salmon without the Boldt decision. And we won’t have them tomorrow if we don’t work together,” said Susewind, as reiterated by the Northwest Treaty Tribes in a statement released on Monday, April 21. 

The film gives voice to people who lived the story. It’s the first full telling of the fish wars from the view of the tribes who fought them. It was filmed in 2024 and is now available on Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango and Vimeo. 

The Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission represents 20 treaty tribes in Western Washington. It continues to monitor salmon numbers, restore rivers, and uphold fishing rights. It co-produced "Fish War" with Salmon Defense, a nonprofit founded by the late Billy Frank Jr. 

"We are struggling as a people because our salmon are struggling,” the panel of officials warned. 

Last year, the documentary was officially selected to run at seven film festivals: Seattle International Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, Tacoma Film Festival, Port Townsend Film Festival, Gig Harbor Film Festival, Doctober and Friday Harbor Film Festival. 

To host a screening, visit the official film page.