I was asked to post how the Commission sets out the "sideboards" for NOF so here is 2012. Formatting is gone with the C&P but it is fairly easy to follow. Now go to the bottom and read the delegation of authority SLOWLY and think about what it means in relation to what we see with Salmon harvest tribal & non tribal.

Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission
North of Falcon, Policy C-3608
Adopted Feb. 4, 2011
Page 1 of 3
FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION
POLICY DECISION
POLICY TITLE: 2011-2012 North of Falcon POLICY NUMBER: C-3608
Supersedes: C-3608, 2009-2010 Effective Date: February 4, 2011
Termination Date: December 31, 2012
See Also: Policy C-3001 Approved by: ___________________________Chair
Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, 02/04/2011
North of Falcon Policy
This Policy will guide Department staff in considering conservation, allocation, in-season
management, and monitoring issues associated with the annual, salmon fishery planning process
known as “North of Falcon”. When considering management issues, Department staff will ensure
that decisions are made consistent with the Department’s statutory authority, U.S. v. Washington,
U.S. v. Oregon, the Endangered Species Act, the Puget Sound Chinook Harvest Management
Plan, the Pacific Salmon Treaty, the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Framework Salmon
Management Plan, pertinent state/tribal agreements, and the applicable Fish and Wildlife
Commission policies.
The Department will implement this Policy consistent with the purposes and intended outcomes
described in the 21st Century Salmon and Steelhead Planning Project including:
• WDFW shall manage salmon and steelhead to recovery and sustainability in a way that is
science-based, well-documented, transparent, well-communicated, and accountable.
• Fisheries are managed to meet or exceed ESA, recovery, and conservation goals; and harvest
management measures protect and promote the long-term well-being of the commercial and
recreational fisheries.
Fishery Management
General
• On a statewide basis, fishing opportunities will be provided when they can be directed at
healthy wild and hatchery stocks.
• Selective fishing methods and gears that maximize fishing opportunity and minimize
impacts on depressed stocks will be utilized to the fullest extent possible within legal
constraints of implementation and budgetary limits associated with required sampling,
monitoring and enforcement programs.
• When assessed from a statewide perspective, fishing directed at chinook, coho, pink,
sockeye, or chum salmon will not be exclusively reserved for either sport or commercial
users.
• When managing sport fisheries, meaningful recreational fishing opportunities will be
distributed equitably across fishing areas and reflect the diverse interests of fishers,
including retention and catch and release fisheries.
• The Department will seek non-treaty fishing access to unutilized portions of treaty
harvest allocations through the implementation of pre-season agreements, taking into
consideration changes in abundance, fishery conflicts, and factors that may influence
attainment of spawning escapement objectives.
Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission
North of Falcon, Policy C-3608
Adopted Feb. 4, 2011
Page 2 of 3
Sockeye, Chum, and Pink Salmon
• For fisheries directed at Fraser River origin chum, pink, and sockeye stocks, the majority of
harvest will be provided to the commercial fisheries.
• For fisheries directed at harvestable Puget Sound origin chum stocks, the majority of
harvest will be provided to the commercial fisheries.
• For fisheries directed at Lake Washington sockeye, the first 200,000 non-treaty harvest
will be provided to recreational fishers. If the allowable non-treaty harvest is greater than
200,000, commercial harvest directed at this stock may be considered.
• For fisheries directed at harvestable Puget Sound origin pink salmon, seasons will be
established that provide meaningful opportunities for both recreational and commercial
fisheries while minimizing gear and other fishery conflicts.
Chinook and Coho Salmon
• The Puget Sound harvest management objectives for chinook and coho stocks, in
priority order, are to (1) provide meaningful recreational fishing opportunities, and (2)
identify and provide opportunities for commercial harvest. When managing sport
fisheries in this region, recreational opportunities will be distributed equitably across
fishing areas, considering factors such as the: uniqueness of each area, the availability
of opportunities for various species in each area throughout the season, desire to
provide high levels of total recreational opportunity, and biological impacts.
• Grays Harbor harvest management objectives shall include opportunities for both the
recreational and commercial fisheries.
• Columbia River harvest management regimes shall be developed in cooperation with
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife representatives. Commercial and recreational
fishing opportunity will be scheduled to optimize the non-treaty harvest of chinook and
coho and to provide a balanced opportunity to each fleet. When developing recreational
and commercial fishing options, the Department shall consider fair and reasonable catch
opportunity, stability and duration of fisheries, as well as sharing of the conservation
responsibility.
• Willapa Bay harvest management shall be consistent with Willapa Bay Framework
management objectives. The following general intent shall apply: Willapa Bay harvest
management objectives shall include meaningful opportunities for both recreational and
commercial fisheries.
• Pacific Ocean harvest shall be managed consistent with the Pacific Fishery Management
Council’s Framework Salmon Management Plan and the National Standards that provide
for fair and equitable allocation of fishing privileges among various fishers.
In-Season Management
• When in-season management actions are taken, they will be implemented in a manner
that is consistent with pre-season conservation and harvest management objectives,
and the fishery intent developed through the North of Falcon process.
Monitoring, Sampling and Enforcement
• Monitoring, sampling and enforcement programs will be provided to account for species
and population impacts of all fisheries and to ensure compliance with state regulations.
• Fishery participants will be required to comply with fishery monitoring and evaluation
programs designed to account for species and population impacts.
Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission
North of Falcon, Policy C-3608
Adopted Feb. 4, 2011
Page 3 of 3
Gear and Fishery Conflicts
• Recreational and commercial fisheries shall be structured to minimize gear and other
fishery conflicts. Unanticipated fishery interaction issues identified in-season, including
conflicts with fisheries directed at other species, shall be resolved by involving the
appropriate sport and commercial representatives in a dispute resolution process
managed by Department staff.
Incidental Mortalities
• The Department will manage fisheries to minimize mortalities on non-target species
(e.g. rockfish, sea birds, etc.). Management regimes will include strategies to limit
seabird mortalities consistent with the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Communications
• The Department shall strive to make ongoing improvements for effective public
involvement during the North of Falcon planning process and annual salmon fishery
implementation, incorporating the following intents:
– include North of Falcon participants as observers during appropriate state/tribal
discussions of fishery issues.
– maintain a record of all decisions made during the North of Falcon process.
– use a variety of tools to effectively communicate with the public, receiving input on
pre-season planning or in-season fishery issues, and making available the record of
decisions; such tools will include use of recreational and commercial advisory groups,
public workshops addressing key issues, the WDFW North of Falcon Web site, and inseason
tele-conferencing.
Other Species
• The Fish and Wildlife Commission’s policy on Lower Columbia Sturgeon Management
(POL-C3001) shall guide pre-season and in-season planning of Columbia River and
coastal sturgeon fisheries and related incidental impacts. Management of Willapa Bay
sturgeon fisheries will be further guided by Willapa Bay Framework management
objectives.
Delegation of Authority
The Fish and Wildlife Commission delegates the authority to the Director to make harvest
agreements with Northwest treaty tribes and other governmental agencies, and adopt permanent
and emergency regulations resulting from the agreements made during the annual North of
Falcon process.