Nicely thought out and interesting posts Salmo and Todd (IMHO). BTW, after reading about the 'Zinfandel Influence' I downed a bunch of the red stuff for a second read. Now I see what you are getting at Salmo! Right on man! (jk)

Actually, these are very interesting proposals with a seeming win-win deal. But I have played armchair NBA general manager long enough to know it takes 2 sides to make a deal. Earlier this season I suggested to some buddies that the Blazers trade Rasheed Wallace and Damon Stoudamire to the Sonics for Gary Payton and Vin Baker. My thought was this would get the Blazers over the hump into the finals, while the re-building Sonics could really use a couple of talented younger inside/outside players to build around. Surely the Sonics would go along with that! Nope. It turns out Witsh!t tried that one but the Sonics aren't quite that easy. Neither are the Indians and non-Indian commercial netters! ...

But you can send Cowfish and I to negotiate a buyout of the non-Indian commercial netters license and boats if you like though. Hey Cowfish, I think we could come up with "an offer they can't refuse", eh? ... The fact is that most of them 'get off' big time on the big haul fishing that they do. It's in their special interest blood - most of them love doing it. I have talked with forthcoming netters that have revealed this. And they will hold out for very unaffordable amounts before they would give it up; they have other money to live on. I think it will still take legislation or another ballot initiative attempt to get them out anytime soon!

Also, you would have a hell of a time getting the idea of cutting the hatchery run in half past the Columbia Tribal Commission and the commercial netter lobbies! The Indians have the Feds in their pockets. And they are now demanding that hatcheries on the Columbia system stop adipose fin clipping of salmon and steelhead, along with increased production! That shows they aren't interested in saving the wild runs as much as they are interested in a cultural moral victory of taking back "their" river from us (seems that way at any rate). ... As for the commercials, they have the Mitchell Act (gov. legislation enacted to mandate a certain level of hatchery production on the Columbia River). ... I also think too many money interests such as NSIA (Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association) would lobby against such a huge move that would hurt their industry profits. And this would be the 'coup de grace' of it all - without as many hatchery fish, how much more ESA impact on wild runs do you think the Indians can get? Well, after seeing them stomp on the states by negotiating a whopping 13% ESA impact to our paltry 2% (non-Indian netters and sportfishers combined, at 1% each), I would think the sky would be the limit in such a hatchery cutback scenario! And us sporties would not be allowed to fish at all.

As for your suggestion of separating wild and hatchery fish at the ladders, I love that idea. I have posted that suggestion on a few ocassions on 3 fishing BBs. It would allow the netters to have their quota the easy way - and save the nates at the same time. But do they want it the easy way? ... As for that expensive Celilo Falls replica for dipnetting, I've posted a much less expensive suggestion along with those other posts on the 3 BBs - put up safe Indian dipnet stands right over the heavy water coming out of the fish ladders. That would allow for the Indians to have their quota the traditional heritage way, and enable releasing the nates - albeit very reluctantly. ... And as I alluded to, shoveling a bunch of brats into totes for the commercials would take away their fun of netting large amounts of fish down below the sportfishing fleet. Salmo, if you can talk either group into going for your proposals, let's get you over to Jerusalem right after that for an easier negotiated settlement to the mid-east's 54 year old crisis.

I'm being about 3/4 serious and 1/4 playing devils advocate to your good ideas here. They seem sound enough, but just aren't likely doable in the foreseeable future; at least without getting very gouged in our pocketbooks. I really hope I am wrong about it though! And I do think the chances of pulling some of this off is better with the Oly Pen and other Washington Tribes that the Columbia Tribes.

With that said, let's get after trying some of these proposals; and prove the d.a. wrong. ... How about some Tribal feedback on these solution ideas that Salmo has brought forth. Can anyone contact the Indian leaders for comments? It's a place to start; and we can start it right here.

Thanks for you efforts within Salmo.

RT