Back when I was interviewing for jobs with WDF in salmon management one of the questions I was asked was what would I do if I (WDF) knew there was a conservation concern with a run/stock/species but the primary manager (in the case of the question it was Canada in relation to coho and chum) chose to overfish what would you recommend? The answer, at that time, was that if a run needs conservation you don't fish just because somebody else does.

Having said that, I don't think WDFW really believes there is a conservation concern. That is used as a cover argument to let the tribes fish as they wish.