They are trying to get the OK to net Area 10 for them.Hear is a response from Pat Pattillo:

Thanks for your view on this tough issue. You probably are aware that the reason we are considering commercial fishing for non-Indians this year is that our policy for Lake Washington sockeye use states clearly that the priority is for sport use. But if the run is very large, greater than 750,000, then we are bound to consider some level of commercial opportunity. We are thinking about what the possible bycatch of chinook would be and are concerned with any increases to the impact on Puget Sound chinook given their status under the Endangered Species Act. So two things are up in the air: first, we won't know what if the runsize is big enough to consider a commercial fishery until mid-late July, after we've probably already begun a sport fishery in the Lake; and second, we don't know if we really can justify the impact of even a small commercial fishery that would take place out in Area 10.



We will discuss this topic more on March 30 at the SeaTac Holiday Inn, at our North of Falcon meeting, so be ther if you can. Thanks again for taking the time to provide us with your view.



Pat Pattillo

WDFW