Todd...non indians fishing for indians is widespread. I don't know if there is a law prohibitting them from hiring someone to work for them (can you say loophole?). Certainly the non indian commercials can do that. It may be against some law or other but it is happening. This spring at the Edmonds marina I saw first hand 5 Alaska fishing boats being used to harvest shrimp right out in front. There was ONE indian woman and about 10 white "helpers". Each boat had about 150 collapsible shrimp pots...they harvested tons of shrimp on the indians "quota"....highly likely that most of it went uncounted.

With that said...I don't know anything about a dialogue with Billy Frank. I don't know who is pushing this lease of tribal rights proposal either. As I understand it the plan would allow leasing quota only. So what the end result would be would probably simply extend the sport fishing opportunity..Say in area 9...add a couple of weeks on the season in exhange for4 leasing the tribes share.

The whole North of Falcon process that allocates the catch every year is now based on give and take and not on any increased opportunities. If we gain something in one area we must give it up in a different area...kind of like a shell game. The lease of quota plan could add opportunity for sportsfishing. Just an idea at this point for discussion.