Sg -
I agree that taking the returning sockeye at the trap is by far the soundest biological method to harvest those fish. And I further agree that few sockeye show up in the Skagit until late June or early July (as you mentioned the earlier tagging studies as well as returns to the Baker trap both indicate that timing). However I base my concerns on what I have seen and what I think the impacts might be.

The very first year that large sockeye returns were expected was 2008 with a preseason forecast of more than 20,000 sockeye. During the salmon season setting process (at PFMC after NOF) the Skagit tribes announced that they were going to target those sockeye with a fishery beginning in early May. Maybe you can check with your contacts to see if they indeed folowed through with that fisheries

I also agree that presecuting such fisheries that early in the year is irresponsible however to date that is the track record we apparently have on how the Tribes seem to be going to fish for sockeye which explains my opinion that having lots of sockeyes is not good news for the ESA listed slamonids that will be in the river at the same time.

tight lines
Curt