Todd,

I was perplexed by the aggressive steelhead gillnetting schedule, and this is the first I've heard of a WDFW trade of steelhead fishing time for more non-treaty commercial gillnetting opportunity. First, I think we need to verify this, as it doesn't make sense to me. That is, the numbers of steelhead present in the system all season long are very few compared to the numbers of salmon, so I don't see it being a particularly profitable trade by the Tribe. Nonetheless, it's worth verifying.

Second, if this is true, then it represents an action by WDFW to further "commercialize" a state game fish. With the Tribe fishing 5 days a week, or 71% of the hours/week, WDFW is agreeing with a commercial harvest in excess of the 50% treaty share. Since commercial harvest of steelhead by non-treaty fishing is prohibited by state law; and since trading steelhead fishing time for the treaty Tribe for additional salmon gillnetting time for the non-treaty fleet; is this an illegal action that appropriates commercial steelhead fishing for the non-treaty commercial fleet, as non-treaty commercial fishing is illegal?

Sincerely,

Salmo g.