Interesting thread. One point that I haven't seen brought up is that until you get 100% mass marking of all hatchery fish, you can't tell if the Quinalts are selling wild fish or just unclipped brats.

I do know that you are far better off focusing on the business side than on the tribes. It will be much easier to convince the Chandler's of the world or Pacific Seafood not to buy/sell than it will to convince the tribes not to net. As Salmo G. said, if you start bashing the tribes, you lose. Like it or not, they have a right to fish.

Protest can make a difference though and I am happy to see the level of emotion and activism on this thread.

This issue was briefly discussed last night at a committee meeting of the Wild Steelhead Coalition and will be discussed more at next weeks board meeting. As an organization, there may be opportunities to protest which would not be open to individuals. Either way, if it impacts wild steelhead stocks, the WSC is interested.

Duggan Harman
WSC President

Sink Tip
You mention not pissing the Native Americans off. You shut down their market and they will be really pissed at the very people they need as allies and those allies are us the conservationists. No wonder they don't trust us, we conservationist are always trying to screw up their way of life, besides these folks do need the money. Someone mentioned earlier on this topic that the money is used for drugs and booze. Yes some do but most of this extra netting money is used to buy their kids shoes or a winter jacket, they aren't as rich as some folks make out.
It just does not make sense to cut of thier leagal market, give them their 50% of hatchery fish at a good price. If you don't those 50% hatchery fish will rot on the gravel bars and parking lots and with those hatchery fish will be many many wild native fish.
On the quinault situation. Any fish not clipped will not be eligable for sale under the enviromentally friendly fish program. So until that group decides that they need to start clipping their fish then let them try to sell unclipped fish for 70 cents a pound. Thats where fish protests would come in, by targetting those stores that are not selling fish from the program. But it would be my hope that if this program ever got off the ground that the quinaults would figure it out that they can get over 3 dollars a pound for the fish in the program and start clipping their fish.
Good luck with the WSC, You have the most intelligent and talented group of really serious steelhead fisherman I've met in a long time.

Here are some addresses and phone numbers for Pacific Seafood http://www.pacseafood.com/locations.asp

Let's keep the phone calls and letters, against the selling and distribution of wild steelhead, and not anti-tribe.


[This message has been edited by KORE (edited 01-28-2001).]