I was in a meeting with WDFW about a fisheries issue, and one of the wdfw higher-ups sitting next to me mumbled, "Yeah, if we do that, the tribes will mess up our elk issue..." and so on.
Meaning, no simple issues are independent, they are all inter-related on a big talley sheet of [Bleeeeep!]-for-tats. If we gain on a certain fisheries issue, the co-managers will deliver pay back in some other arena. NOF is not all about fisheries... maybe another reason it's a closed door negotiation.

If getting a separate State permit is easier than publicized, maybe the payback in other areas of the WDFW (ie hunting programs) is what's stopping them. After all, WDFW covers it all, not just these Piscatorial issues.