Put bluntly and simply, the tribes are not bound by this and can and will just walk out and apply on their own. And their application will be fast tracked and we will will end up with nothing.

It's the same reason I could not get support for you with the PSA three years ago.

BW, I understand, but it seem's like PSA would be one of the first organizations to want to support this. After all, it is the Puget Sound Angler who has had to absorb the greatest loss of opportunities as a result of these secret meeting agreements. Yes, they could walk out. And that FEAR is exactly what they are using against us. We can make change work if we band together. The alternative is to let it continue, and die from a thousand cuts.

We need our own permit.

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The issue is: It's just not that easy getting separate permits and we would run a real risk on not getting to fish at all. We went the way once already remember.

If you want to really accomplish something find a way to start forcing the WDFW to take the tribes to court over some of these issues. Right now they think they can do or claim anything they want, closing the Skokomish river for example. How long has the department of fun and games said they would do something about that.

Making the meetings public will do nothing but end the meetings. It will make it worse.

Department of fun and games.. LoL. Kinda got a ring to it.
I bet they all get bonuses every year because they think they are doing such a good job....Not!

Interesting that your comment reads “ If you want to really accomplish something...”. It almost leads me to understand that you don’t. As a member of PSA, I would think your organization would be frantically and tirelessly pressuring for change. As I stated before, it is the Puget Sound that has taken the greatest hits in season reductions and restrictions. Most as a direct result of agreements made in these meetings. PSA has been strangely quiet. I don’t mean this as a personal slight BW. I know you and you are just as frustrated and angry as anyone. I just think WE need to all start somewhere to fix this. If PSA and CCA and all the other organizations would pull together we would have the strength and numbers to effect real change. Simply doing nothing for fear of losing what little we have left will only result in us loosing everything. Better to do something than nothing and that is why we are fighting. Opening these meetings might not be the solution, but over 5000 citizens has signed the petition, so at least we are giving some hope. Haven’t seen that from any other group.

As I remember it, we started down that path but the outcry from sportsmen who might have to sacrifice a season or two was great enough that the department capitulated to the tribes.

If it were to be determined that the State's participation in NOF makes NOF subject to the State's Open Meeting law will tribe(s) refuse to participate? If so, and the result is no agreement it seems to me that it would be an appropriate time for the State to demand its own permit with the pressure then being on NOAA to prevent a shutdown of State fisheries pending issuance of a permanent permit.

I think we missed that opportunity once and should it come up again WDFW needs to take a different path and stand up.

It is not just NOF. WDFW's reg processes often run afoul of the laws about setting regulations. The State has to either comply across the board of go to the Leg and make their preferred process legal.

One outcome of the lawsuit requiring open NOF meetings will be that the Leg will respond to their owners and write a law so that NOF can be a closed process.

Maybe the best thing would be to get a voter initiative on the ballot to 100% defund and disband WDFW management and enforcement. Its up to us as citizens to decide who and how our state resource is managed. Enforcement only goes after non tribal members anyways.

Could things get any worse honestly, WDFW has managed our resources into total destruction anyways. Why should we pay them to keep doing that?

Wasn't it the Legislature which tried to exclude themselves from the PDA and basically were shouted down. This may be a bit different given the tribal aspect but at least they would have to be on the record as will the tribes. Public scrutiny and social media.