In Need of Historians of WDFW help

Hey guys, Im needing to track down some information. I've not been able to dig it up, but I'm confident that someone on this board knows, or knows someone who does.

I'm trying to find out who the last group of "observers" were who were "allowed" to attend the North of Falcon Tribal/WDFW negotiations.

Here is a quote from Northwest Indian Fisheries Chairwomen Lorraine Loomis about the observers being thrown out when asked by King5 News:
“Treaty tribes – as sovereign nations – are not bound by the state’s open public meetings laws. For a number of years tribes agreed to allow some citizen representatives to observe NOF negotiations. That practice ended after the observers publicly mischaracterized tribal and state negotiating positions, further complicating an already challenging process.”

I'm hoping to find out who those observers were and hear their side of the story.

Please let me know if you have any leads. Thanks

you need to figure out what region. Different in different places.

I'm primarily looking for the gentlemen or women who were accused of mischaracterizing the tribal and WDFW negotiations.

I believe is stemmed from one particular incident, but I'm not sure.

There has to be someone who clearly remembers this. It had to be a big deal within the WDFW and recreational community. A turning point for sure.

Just throwing this out there...maybe someone who has some past history with Puget Sound Anglers or The Reel News??

I'm sorry I don't have any leads, but just a thought...

This was discussed in a previous thread, I think. As Bay wolf supposes, it was reported as specific (but un-named) people.

I wonder if Tom Nelson or Ron Gardner might not have the info you are looking for.
SF

I'm sure it happened in Region 6.....

You have to realize that until the Bolt Decision that the NT gill netters had the Chehalis River all to themselves. Even after Bolt, it was years before the QIN tribe got enough equipment to start netting.

Tempers were short, in the old days.....still are today....when you start talking dividing up fish and what days you got to gillnet.

I was not at the meeting, just heard about it.....

Thanks for the insights and tips. Still looking. I heard that the "observers" when they were "allowed" in, were vetted by the Tribes, and had gage orders, they could not speak about anything they heard or saw in the meetings. Essentially they were mannequins.

Might as well have been an empty chair in there. And they called that transparency!

Still wanting to talk to anyone with first hand knowledge on this....

What would you do with the information ??????

Other than self education, it depends on what information they provide and what they are willing to share, on or off the record.

I think it important that we educate not only the recreational community, but the general public at large. So many citizens have grave concerns about the state of our salmon, yet know very little about one of the major components involved in the preservation of our salmon, the harvest agreements.

At this time it seems to be accepted fact that some observers failed a test of sorts which is now run up the flag pole as the catalyst for the current tribal objection now further being supported by the sovereign nations joke.

It might be useful to revisit that original situation and get the facts strasight for the record.