G-Man,

I don't know exactly what the deal is on the Nooksack with the chinook, but it's likely one of these two things.

First, as I noted in my last post, the non-tribal share may have already been harvested before the fish even got to the river. Believe it or not, at the NoF meetings they have models that show how many fall chinook are heading into the Nooksack, and where they're all going to be all summer and fall. Their models will show how many will be caught in Canada, and off our shores, in Neah Bay, and in the Straights, and in the San Juans, and in Bellingham Bay. (Not by tribal fisheries).

If there are open seasons in any of those areas at the right times, some of the fish caught will be part of the Nooksack River non-tribal share of fall chinook. Depending on the length and timing of the seasons, there may not be any non-tribal fall chinook left for a river fishery. When the fish show up, the Lummis and Nooksacks get their shares. We've already got ours.

The second possibility is that the fish are taken for subsistence and/or ceremonial purposes. It's not quite as common knowledge as it should be, but when harvestable surpluses are measured, it's not total fish minus escapement equals surplus. It's Total Fish - Escapement Needed - Fish Needed for Subsistence/Ceremonial Purposes = Harvestable Surplus, which is then divided in half.

The tribal fall chinook fishery in the Nooksack could be pursuant to subsistence and ceremonial needs. These fisheries may be allowed even if there is no harvestable surplus. Tribal managers contend that these fisheries may even be allowed if the target fish are ESA listed because their treaty right to take fish for these purposes is not affected by the ESA.

I didn't even know they had a tribal fall chinook season in the Nooksack. I'm guessing there probably won't be one for long if there is, since they look to be phasing out the hatchery run there and the wild run is very endangered.

G-Man, try sending an e-mail to your Region 4 bios in Mill Creek. Ask them if one or both of these reasons is why the Nooksack is not open for fall chinook. I'll bet one of them is, probably the NoF possibility.

Fish on...

Todd.