I think you're right. We can cull sea lions, but not seals. No win for SRKW or Puget Sound fisheries here. Just a win for fish harvesters in the Columbia (and, lest I forget, it should help get a few more wild spawners upstream). These are good things, but I dare say Puget Sound is a good deal more troubled than the Columbia, which begs the question of why we aren't doing anything to help Puget Sound.

I believe at least one important answer is that the Columbia still hosts commercial fisheries for Chinook, where Puget Sound does not. Ever notice the only political forces strong enough to move our courts to act on fish issues (tribal or non) are those with commercial fishing interests? I'm starting to think that might not be just a coincidence.