I disagree that race has nothing to do with netting in the context of our rivers. It have everything to do with it. It is the law that needs to be changed not the race of the netters. There are no gill netters that I am aware of who are not tribal. The netting on the Quinault is a family based system. Quite a few familys who hold title to a specific "site" on the river do not even net it themselves anymore but hire out the task of harvesting fish at their designated spot on the river. The right to harvest is handed down from generation to generation. The guides on the river are mostly against the netting and a few do realize the potential of a sport fishing based fishery devoid of nets. The tribes argue just like we do, however.

It is true that federal funds support the hatcheries and at this time I think the cost of the fish produced exceeds the net income from those fish. So, yes, we taxpayers subsidize the tribal hatcheries. We also support the whaling by the Makahs through the NOAA budget and all other tribal endeavors except their casinoes.

So what is really needed is for the laws to be amended to allow what Judge Boldt didn't and that is that all fishers fish "IN KIND" as the treaties of 1855 spell out. To me that means all fishers have the SAME opportunity with no special rights for any group. That will only happen when the sport fishing groups organize with one voice. Judging by this board that has a snowballs chance in hell of ever happening.