Every now and then insight comes roaming through the e-mail world. I found this a rather insightful read.



Here's a thought on the whole harvest thing. May have mentioned it before but it may explain at least some of the why and the powers behind it.

In Hoh v. Baldridge the tribe sued the Feds because they approved of ocean fisheries (the WA sport and troll) that took so many Hoh fish that the Tribe was closed for conservation. The Court held that the Tribes could not be shut down for conservation if the reason was prior harvest essentially, the tribes can't be corked. WDF response, from the technical folks, was OK-close the ocean. Escapement still being the #1 priority. Both the Tribes and Feds said no, just share the harvest. If you take 50 in the ocean, the tribe gets 50 in the river. WDF "went" along. This was begun under Wilkerson; Co-management and sharing the pain.

So, the Tribes are in favor of the ocean and bay fisheries (essentially in front of them) because it guarantees them a fishery. If the management paradigm was no fishing until we confirm runsize (some update fisheries) then the schedules would have to reflect something closer to reality. They tribes, and state, would have to manage in-season (more expensive) and might actually have to be close. The river sport is not only the bastard step-child but would put the tribe(s) in the uncomfortable position of having to be responsible managers as they could not cork the sporties if there was a significant fishery that came after them. This is what the court (Boldt) said about steelhead. The tribe can't cork the sporties.

So, ultimately, getting a significant increase in the river fishery will likely be opposed by not only QIN but many other WA tribes who prefer to see the non-Indians take their fish ahead of the tribal nets, so those nets can fish unfettered and if the run comes in stronger all the benefits are reaped by the tribe because the non-Indians took the shot they wanted.


Edited by Rivrguy (07/08/13 03:44 PM)
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Dazed and confused.............the fog is closing in