Castnblast, commercial fisheries get stopped on the Columbia because they often are fishing in mixed stocks of fish. The quotas in those situations are based not on how many hatchery fish can be taken, but instead on the impacts to listed fish. This last spring the gill netters had to give up a few days of spring chinook because they were close to burning thru their impact allocation.

I agree that harvest numbers are probably inaccurate, on all counts, on all user groups. Commercials, sports, and tribal. I'd bet that at least 25% of guys don't mark every salmon they catch. I don't know the process that the commercial guys use to report, but if it's a self reporting system...might as well pull numbers out of a hat.

Wooly,

Its good to be passionate about something. I don't think however that your verve and vigor are going to reverse a long and fairly consistent series of Supreme Court rulings regarding the treaties with the local tribes.

Boldt did not happen in a vacumn. In spite of what most people think, Judge Boldt did not make it all up as he plodded along. Federal Judges have been at work defining that treaty language since the 1800's, i.e. United States vs. Taylor in 1887, followed by United States vs. Winans in 1905. and ongoing throughout the 20th century. Washington State got really good at pushing cases against the Indians all the way to the Supreme court, where they would proceed to lose. All your arguments regarding racial inequality, the passage of time watering down treaty obligations, 'special treatment' of Indians, all those arguments have been made and rejected by the highest court in the land.

Whether you agree with the rulings or not, you should still read them. Maybe you'll find some novel argument that has not been made. Plus they are interesting history that has relevance to anyone who reads this board.

VHawk