Ten years ago I was dirt poor, a step away from being homeless.My Uncle offered for me to help him and learn from him.
Now I remember going with my dad when I was like 3 years of age or so, right before he passed away from acholism. After my dad died I had hardly any contact with my dad's side of the family. Ohh, Yeah I'm only 1/2 Native American.I don't know if that matters to any of you.But it means I didn't grow up with the rich culture of my family and my tribe.Now I had a chance to learn a little about net fishing, something my dad did and my tribe has done for a very long time.
Although the whats and the whys of the we used to fish have changed dramaticly.Only a handful still to it today,at least in my tribe.
when I was learning, I was real excited it was fun but it was also lots of hard work.Especially when its 20 degrees on the river at the time. I hung in there though and worked my tail off. I did it for about 2 years.I've seen the all the chum on the banks females cut open left to rot, males untouched left to rot. Nets weaved across the river, or one net stretched all the way across. I was disgusted with the poor decisions made by those couple of tribal fisherman.My family was never invovled in any of those incedents. I'm very proud to say.
But to say that tribal fisherman are responsible for the descimation of salmon is utterly ridiculous.There are many other people and chemicals that contribute to that than a handful of tribal nets.
There was one suggestion that I thought about putting forward to my tribe.And, that would be to pay off tribal fisherman for 1-2 years.Have them stop fishing altogether. Give them something of a Unemployment type paycheck.But then what about the commercial companies,ect. Who's going to deal with them. Because , it's going to take a concerted effort all the way round for it to have any impact at all.

On an ending note there is much to tell and much to learn.Next time your on a river and see a tribal fisherman talk to him. Share your views. Listen to them and about the struggles that they had gone through just to be able to do what they do.My goal here was not to make enemys, but to get both sides.

Thanks and sorry for all the uproar.