THE HONORABLE RICARDO S. MARTINEZ

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6 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
7 AT SEATTLE
8 Case No. C70-9213
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DECLARATION OF BRETT ROSSON
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15 BRETT ROSSON declares under penalty of pe1jury under the laws of the State of
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Washington that the following is true and correct.
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I am over 18 years of age and competent to testify, and make this declaration based
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19 upon my own personal knowledge.

20 2.

I am President of Fish Northwest, a nonprofit 50l(c) company dedicated to ensuring

21 equal and fair access to Washington State's salmon resoLu-ce.


22 3.

Fish N011hwest is an organization with a board of directors of highly

23 knowledgeable and dedicated fishermen who are well aware of the issues affecting fishing access
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to Washington State's salmon resource. Fish No1thwest has arranged a network of knowledgeable
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consultants with respect to fishing and the salmon resource , including fishing opportunities,
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SCHEFTER & FRAWLEY
Attorneys al Law

Case 2:70-cv-09213-RSM Document 22289 Filed 10/05/20 Page 2 of 3





challenges, regulations, and conversation needs.
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2 4.

As President of Fish No1thwest, our organization' s purpose of ensuring responsible,

3 fair, and equal fishing with the treaty tribes is being significantly harmed by the Washington State
4 Department of Fish and Wildlife ' s ("WDFW") failure to ensure equitable sharing the harvestable
5 salmon resource per the " Boldt Decision" set forth in United States v. Washington. Our
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organization's mission of promoting fishing , including fair and sustainable access to the salmon
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resource, is impaired by the State of Washington ' s failure to take action necessary to ensure 50/50
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9 sharing of the salmon resource.

10 5.

Fish Northwest's mem bers ' inte rests with respect to the fair, 50/50 sharing of the


11 salmon resource, in accordance with applica ble law , is also impaired by the State of Washington' s
12 failure to ensure equitable sharing of the salmon resource, including but not limited to, the State
13 of Washington's fai lure to calculate the number of harvestable salmon, and the failure of the State 14
of Washington and Department of Fish and Wildlife's failure to obtain their own Endangered
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Species Act permit independent of the treaty tribes' permit(s) and the State of Washington and /or
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17 Department of Fish and Wildlife ' s ongoing inability to obtain meaningful input from non-treaty
18 tribe stakeholders , including Fish Northwest and its members.


19 6.

I personally operate a charter fishing business that depends on open salmon seasons


20 to survive. The reduced seasons in recent years has a dramatic financial impact on my own
21 business, as well as the businesses of other small business that depend on open salmon fishing
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seasons.
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7. I, along with other members of Fish Northwest, have been involved in North of
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25 Falcon. I have attended many meetings, given input , and talk regularly with WDFW staff. After
26 having spent years being involved with the process, it is clear to me that my input at North of has little value.
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Dazed and confused.............the fog is closing in