Why would WDFW need to be petitioned from sportsfishers to protect the warmwater fisheries that have ZERO practical impact on ESA salmon? Why wouldn't they call BS on tribal demands that those fisheries be sacrificed? Have any of you caught or heard caught a Chinook by bass or perch fisherman in lake WA? Even if used as a bargaining chip it doesn't seem like it would be a valuable one.

I say take the negotiation out of the equation and split everything everywhere in half - allowable harvest, allowable impacts, etc. Just the math! If the tribes hit their allowable impacts and have to stop fishing before they get their allowable harvest then maybe they'll start looking at their fishing methods.

Just wish we could redefine "in common with" to mean common methods, common regulations, etc. No distinction at all between a tribal or non-tribal fisherman whether sport or commercial. I just can't believe that the treaty writers meant "in common with" to mean that a small percent of the fishermen take fifty percent of the fish. There's absolutely nothing in common about completely different rules for a native fisherman. I'm all for fish wars!! but this time instead of fighting with blockades, boats, fists and guns fight with political pressure and demands that the treaties be abandoned as the tribes have abandoned their sovereignty by accepting benefits of american citizens or demand that the treaties be interpreted correctly.