Well I admit I don't really understand the complete issue... I take it some people feel like the tribe over harvested a run of spring Salmon, which in turn affected sport fisherman’s ability to catch fish as well as possibly impacting the run itself. This is kind of what I gather, but I don't think I missed the point at all. People are trying to blame a group for practising their inherent right to harvest Salmon. The fact of the matter is these people should be able to harvest as much fish as they possibly need. Now whether that impacts other people or not it is their right.

You can't possibly blame the tribes for the pollution of the rivers, the loss of spawning beds due to urban development, mis-management by over harvesting by both the Canadian and US governments ect. Although they are the ones most greatly impacted by all of these things as they have watched their resources being depleted more and more by all user groups. But as soon as they go and fish it is all too easy to blame them for the decline in fish stocks. If I ever heard a case of a pot calling a kettle black this is it!!! You are totally correct in thinking that this isn’t a very constructive topic it may be already to late to save the wild salmon. More and more houses are being built inland... taking more and more away from the habitat. The habitat for salmon doesn't stop 50 yards on either side of the rivers. It takes a strong healthy forest to filter the rain water properly before it enters a stream which feeds a river. The rain isn't supposed to run off a farmer’s field laden with chemicals... or off of city highways and roads and into the streams. NVM the gautlet of commercial fishing gear they have to run along the coast from Alaska to Oregon.

The best story I've heard regarding a Natives place in the ecosystem of the PNW...there was an old Indian man fishing on a River... and a fisheries officer comes up to him and asks him to see his fishing licence. The old Native who had been fishing the same spot on the river since he was a little boy, before him his father, and his father before him, turned to the fisheries officer and asked him... Do you see that bear 200 feet downstream? (Up till now the fishery officer did not see the bear), but he says yes I do see it now. The old man says well my people have been here fishing alongside the bears since time began, perhaps you should go and ask him to see his fishing licence also...

"You can't blame a broken window on a little crack when someone has thrown a rock through it."