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The Swinomish Tribe’s fishing fleet is clearly in no shortage of blessings, well-wishes and community respect, as displayed in the tribe’s traditional annual “blessing of the fleet ceremony” on Thursday.

The event kicked off with a luncheon in the jam-packed Swinomish Youth and Community Center, where guests feasted on watermelon, salmon and fresh, locally-caught seafood.

There were about 550 people who were seated for lunch, Laura Dunn, from the Swinomish Fisheries Department estimated.

La Conner Middle School fourth graders also attended the luncheon for the second year.

Swinomish Chairman Brian Cladoosby thanked the attendees for coming together to pray and partake in the celebration.

Tribal members walked south on Reservation Road after lunch, singing and playing various instruments loudly until they reached a grassy field by the Swinomish Channel, next to the tribal administration building.

The tribe’s commercial fishers were blessed by leaders of several different faiths, including from the Indian Shaker Church.

In the hour-long ceremony, multiple speakers talked in front of the crowd about the importance of the tribe’s cultural traditions, fishing, family ties and respect for the fishers’ hard, and sometimes dangerous, work.

Four fishermen, Andrew John Sr., Jeremy Cayou, Will James and Jordan Wilbur were seated with a salmon and leaf arrangement in front of the small crowd.

Several hungry bald eagles may have spotted the gutted salmon, crab and berries the fishermen held in their laps, spending plenty of time hovering above the ceremony.