I was doing some research on the history of the Northwest Indians at this web site:
http://www.washington.edu/uwired/outreach/cspn/hstaa432/index.html#intro
and I found this:

"Specifically, the Boldt decision guaranteed Indians the right to catch one-half of the commercial salmon harvest every year (even though Indians in western Washington amounted to no more than 2% of the total population). With the precipitous decline of runs of salmon, this decision put pressure on Indians and non-Indians to co-operate with one another to protect the remaining salmon fisheries of western Washington"

One half of the "commercial salmon harvest"! Does this mean that if we did not have a "commercial harvest", that the tribes would not be entitled to one half of the fish?

What do you think it means?

Cowlitzfisherman