Ok, you asked for it you got it.

I have no problem with the tribes themselves
I recognize their legal treaty rights to half of the harvestable fish.
However, I have a big problem with gillnets. Not, that I think the fish cares how it dies. Nets or hooks or whatever, but I think the extensive gillnetting on some of our streams in dramatically impacting the genetics of our fish.
My problem is that the tribes are the biggest users of gillents in this part of the state.

Look at the coho on the green (mostly hatchery) or even the skagit (mostly wild). They're dinky compared to fish from streams that are not heavily so heavily netted (ie just about anywhere in Alaska). There is a huge selective pressure to be small on these streams so as to better evade the nets.

I've caught lots of sexually mature jack coho in elliot bay under 14" the past few years.

This is clear evidence that the gillnetting is influencing fish size. This is bad for all fishers. I think we would all like the fish to be bigger.

If the tribes could be convinced to use other methods that did not select against larger fish, I think we would all benefit. I think traditional methods such as reef netting or weirs might be prefereable; These could potentially even allow selective fisheries. ANYTHING BUT GILLENTS PLEASE.

Geoduck