in my email
https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/northfalcon/2018/finalized_fisheries.html

Yah, what the heck Ron Warren?

"We cannot — and pretty strong words — go another year without fishing in the Skokomish River," Warren told members of the Kitsap fishing club

One very fundamental element of the "New Age" of Co-Management harmony fostered by the recent Plenary Meeting would have been permitting Recs to again fish the Skokomish River for hatchery clipped-fin Chinook as they had in years past.

Maybe it was just one of those things that Ron Warren promised, and later failed to achieve. From the Twin Harbors inward to Puget Sound, this seems to have become a pattern of sorts.

After that secretive "end run" around the Commission re: the 10 Yr. Puget Sound Management Plan, and all the uproar that resulted--he carried on as the lead Fisheries Mgr. into NOF...

What does his current Employee Performance Eval look like at this point in time?

Perf eval? This isn't the private sector where results matter. If anything, rewarded at our expense!

Total Agreement...ironically, it was the Commission's scathing Performance Review on Jim Unsworth that played a heavy hand in his "decision" to resign the Director's position.

This officially ticks me off. There is no excuse for the department to state they are continuing to "work with the tribe". Last year I talked to a staff member that stated he just needed to work out some details but that an opening was going to happen. Then Ron Warren and promises that the season would open up or a legal challenge would be made. Now they come back with continued negotiations? From my discussions with the staff member, negotiations were going on for at least a year. The closure has been for much longer. So, what is the delay. Clearly they can not get to an agreement on a fairly simple issue for close to 2 years.



Now look at the tribes statements.....
Miller said the tribe and state have not directly discussed reopening the fishery in 2018. The tribe will continue to defend its claim to the river, he said.

And Ron Warren's Statement>>>>Speaking at a Kitsap Poggie Club meeting in Bremerton Wednesday night, Ron Warren, head of the Department of Fish and Wildlife's fish program, said the state will bring forward a fishery package for the Skokomish River during this year's North of Falcon salmon season-setting process.
"We cannot — and pretty strong words — go another year without fishing in the Skokomish River," Warren told members of the Kitsap fishing club, many of whom remain outraged by the river closure.


Then the state's latest statement >>>>>Skokomish River: A portion of the Skokomish River remains closed to non-tribal fishing this year, due to an ongoing dispute over whether the river is part of the Skokomish Reservation. WDFW will continue to work with the Skokomish Tribe to resolve the matter

From the statements, I am left with these impressions. That, as stated, the river will remain closed this year. Not, may open, or a opening is being negotiated, but will remain closed. That the tribe has no intent on negotiating. And, three, the state intents do keep "negotiating".

Is any scenario in which we are not either being misinformed or clearly lied to?

From what I can gather from what the Attorney General's office stated, the only way to legally challenge this is to open it up, allow the Tribe to either sue the State or cite an angler, and then let the courts make a decision. Not opening it up or making means to do so appears to make it clear the State intends to do nothing.

I am not sure if this would legally work but this is how I am feeling.
At some point it may be necessary to just go down and start fishing. If the State tries to enforce the rules, it can be claimed they have no jurisdiction, having given in to the Tribe's claims. If the Tribe cites someone, then they will be forced to prove jurisdiction. Any opinion on this Todd?

I know most of you hate this fishery anyways, but the potential of what it could be should be considered. There is no reason it should open with the same regulations as the past. Regardless what happens, a clear opportunity for a reset is present.

If it doesn't open, they should put a six chinook limit in MA 12 south of Ayock.
SF

Some of the PS marine fisheries are better than I would have expected given the messaging leading up to NOF. I wonder if the Skok got horse-traded down the road for something in the salt. I won't make many friends by saying so, but the way that fishery was conducted on our part (ie. us rec's I mean) I'm OK with that, it was an embarrassment to WA sportsmen,

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Got to disagree vehemently with that perspective. There is a big difference between shutting down a fishery (if necessary) until a problem is resolved (and in this case State action was being taken) versus being totally displaced by a Sovereign Nation. Once that river access is gone it is gone forever.

Apparently a last minute "oh by the way" problem at NOF was mid-Canal Chinook.

I'm OK with that (disagreeing), and I respect your opinion on that.

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So only marine-grade ladders necessary this year...

Anyone that is surprised that RW didn't keep a promise on the skok hasn't been paying attention. He's been not fulfilling promises for well over a decade now and its been obvious if you were paying attention to salmon management in region 6. Now that he has a bigger role, expect more/bigger promises to be broken.

Its always a horse trade for something, but the rec's always seem to get the short end of the stick in the end.

I'm still going to the river a few times just to take a few dumps.

RW will bow down to tribal and commercial pressure at the expense of sportfishing every time. No spine.

I just put zincs on my 24 footer. All ready to hit the water....

I'm reaching the conclusion that it's worse than that. Nearly everyone everywhere wants to get along with the treaty tribes on fishery issues. However, a couple of the most influential managers in the Department's Fish Program want to get along with the tribes so much that they readily sell out recreational angler interests, you know, the 98% of us who pay the taxes and buy the licenses that make the very existence of WDFW possible. If WDFW cared about the constituents who make its existence possible, there is a simple, non-spineless jellyfish negotiation with the Skokomish Tribe. No non-treaty fishing on the lower Skokomish River, then close George Adams hatchery, not at some future date, but today. And when the last few year classes of hatchery salmon return this year and the next 3 years, open Hood Canal right in front of the mouth of the Skok to 5-day a week non-treaty gillnet fishing to prevent a dangerous over-escapement of hatchery fish that might otherwise breed with wild salmon. Cork 'em.

Amen. Take any existing smolts and release them into the nearest kiddy fishing pond.

Huevos? We don't need no stinkin' huevos.

To add to Salmo's thoughts, switch up production. Move Chinook to Hoodsport and try to move them to Quilcene NFH. Do only chum in the complex of hatcheries that are on the Skok.

I know they did Chinook at both sites so it can be done. There are established net and rec fisheries. And while still not really all that pristine, the Skok sporties should, from what I have heard, feel welcome on the Big Quil.

there isnt enough room on that little stretch of that little river to house any more idiots than the ones already showing up....

more people would destroy that fishery, its been going downhill for the last 15 years anyways, no respect for the fish, nor fisherman there that want to actually fish....