The Tulaip tribes conduct (cut regulations) winter fisheries targeting steelhead every year. For a number of years that fishery has been a low key one with only a handful of tribal members taking part in the fishery every year. The result is that their catch is much lower than a couple of decades ago.

The changes in the Tokul Creek hatchery proram including making the Snoqualmie a wild steelhead "gene bank" would not have any effect on the tribal fishery. There still would be roughly the same numbers of hatchery fish returning to the Snohomish system and passing through the Tribal usual and accustom steelhead fishing area (marine waters in MA 8-2).

However it is important to remember that the Statewide steelhead Plan would call for no fishing (even CnR) in the Snoqualmie wild steelhead "gene bank" as long as the steelhead population remains at its current status - that is under escaped. If conditions improve and runs above escapement objectives are expected the Plan would allow for some CnR fishing targeting those wild fish. Of course with runs size above escapement goals the Tribes could target those wild fish as well.

Tight lines
Curt