There is another thing at work here that is quite possibly the root of much of the conflicts.

The Tribes and NI Commercials can get along rather well as they operate from the same playbook. See fish, kill fish, move on. It is rather easy to divide up something when everybody uses it the same way.

The sporties play different. They have always been able to release by catch. In the last 20 years they have developed the ability to release wild fish versus hatchery fish of the same species. This gives them the opportunity to kill more of the target stock than a "kill them all" fishery can.

Couple this with a PR machine that casts the Tribes as the first and foremost conservationists whose only concern is the welfare of the resource seven generations in the future and you develop a disconnect between what is said and what happens in the real world.

But, WDFW steps in and uses some of the most creative (what is the right word for light years beyond creative?) ways to use release survivals to justify a fishery, when the research looks at really short-term survival post release rather than the effect on spawning success, and so on that significant doubt can be thrown at any number used.

Making the meetings public would throw a light on a process that I believe neither side wants exposed. Each has shortcomings that they want to keep hidden.