I have a question for some of the more knowledgeable members of the board. The tribal netting schedule for the Quillayute river system (WDFW web site) shows that the tribes are netting 4.3 days a week until Jan 24th and then netting 3.5 days a week until Mar 31st. This means that the tribes are taking over 50% of the entire run of steelhead, not " harvestable " run until Mar 31 as very few fish make it through the nets. I thought that the Boldt decision allowed them to take 50% of the "harvestable" run which is determined by various agencies. Can someone explain how this arrangement works as it looks like the tribes are clearly taking way more tha the alloted fish.

While the Boldt decison granted the tribes 50% of the harvestable return, I believe it also granted them self-regulation status, meaning they can determine when they've met that 50% and set their own netting schedule. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but to my knowledge their netting schedule is posted by the WDFW only, not set by the WDFW.

It's easy to jump to conclutions, but just because the nets are in more than 3.5 days per week for much of the season does not neccesarily mean they are taking more than their 50%. Remember, the rivers are blown-out much of the season these days and there are a large pecentage of fish returning after March 31st.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not in favor of tribal gill-netting. Also, I would like to hear from someone else if they have contadictory information.

When it suits them the tribes are separate nations with separate laws that have nothing to do with the rest of us. When it suits them they are US citizens....I think that is the day the check comes in the mail.

l2f,
Yes!

Sol,
Yes, too!


GP2,
Extra YES!

The tribes and WDFW are co-managers of the resource(fish). They set the net schedule based on run size projections. Sounds fair doesn't it. Only problem is the tribes always seem to project a greater run size than WDFW thus a longer net schedule.