I remember seeing the Puyallup tribe selling king salmon right on Puyallup Ave. here in Tacoma in an old dugout canoe on the corner. In the hot sun, uncleaned and no ice. Flies all over them. Cheap but terrible quality. Guys I know would buy fish on the banks of the Puyallup and Nisqually and they were not recorded on fish tickets. I remember a friend of mine would buy steelhead from tribal fishermen on Nisqually right out of the boat for $3/ lb. uncleaned . He always bought hens so he would get the eggs. That was back in the 80's however.

I also remember many years ago fishing on the Skokomish (when it was open for sport fishing) and tribal netters offering me all the male chum I wanted since they only kept chum hens for the eggs. Lots of nutrient enhancement bacause all the buck were thrown back.

Lowest price that i was told was 16 cents a pound for chum and the buyers really did not want them. In the Chehalis it Is the Coho that make the fishery because Chum don't pay the bills so early up Coho run timing is a real downer for the QIN. Better to take disaster relief for run failure. It is a common practice in all commercial fisheries.

Was talking with a NI gill netter who was one of the "high-liners" based on sales. But he told us that during chum season in November he sold them directly in taverns and such as folks wanted fish to smoke for the Holidays.

It goes on all over. It would be nice if the State and Tribes could come up with a good direct sale operation.

Unreported fish catch has been a problem ever since I went to work as a fishcop in 1971. One year I arrested a dealer who had more than a hundred fifty fish receiving tickets from landings in Neah Bay that he failed to turn in! The data on fish tickets can also be misleading. I also arrested a local Olympia dealer from buying spring chinook and putting Hoh River as the catch area, when they were really from the Columbia. Direct sales from commercial to consumer goes on everywhere, but not by everyone. We also have the problem of sports catch being sold, and always have. The smaller the commercial fishery the bigger the problem, like the Columbia spring fishery.

Anybody who has been around management/enforcemnt has all sorts of stories of unreported catch. Klamath River sold as landed in WA, Fraser sockeye sold a Columbia, and so on. Tug's right as rain. Fishermen, of any stripe, have issues with accurate reporting.

Everybody is out to make a buck.

It's BS. They should be held to the absolute highest standards since they 1. get 50% of the fish, and 2. are subsidized by the government.

At this years coho and chum prices commercial fisherman will receive more money thru Federal disaster aid than rather keep fishing.

Part of what managers should be doing is figuring out how much of run needs to return to justify a commercial fishery economically. maybe this year is a one-off but the fleet should be matched to at least the average return. If we are going to have commercial fisheries then they should be viable.

This should get interesting.

Endangered listing for Chinook on Washington coast, rivers ‘may be warranted,’ agency says

Salmon runs on Chehalis, Quinault, Queets, Hoh and Quillayute rivers will be included in yearlong status review

Isabel Vander Stoep


The Chronicle

Southern resident killer whales are federally listed as an “endangered species.”

In a finding released last week, the National Marine Fisheries Service said similar protections “may be warranted” for the orcas’ favorite food: Chinook, or “king” salmon on the Washington Coast.

Last May, two conservation groups, the Center for Biological Diversity and Pacific Rivers, jointly filed a petition seeking federal “threatened” or “endangered” listings for Chinook on the Chehalis, Quinault, Queets, Hoh and Quillayute river basins, with an emphasis on spring Chinook.

With the National Marine Fisheries Service’s finding released Wednesday, the agency will now take on a status review for Washington salmon that spawn “north of the Columbia River and west of the Elwha River.”

A public comment period will be held until Feb. 5 and testimony may be submitted by “any interested party.”

To the knowledge of Jeff Miller, a senior conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, no organizations have petitioned for this listing in the past. Last year, the center petitioned for a similar listing in Oregon and the National Marine Fisheries Service began conducting a review for the decision earlier this year, signaling a step forward in the listing process.

Spring kings, “which are distinct from fall-run salmon,” Miller said, return in the spring from the ocean to spawning grounds in freshwater rivers.

This means the fish’s difficult, final journey upriver takes place during the warmest months of the year, when the water holds the least oxygen. Relying solely on stored energy, between their depleting strength and

Former Chronicle sports editor Eric Trent with a spring-run Chinook salmon he caught on the Columbia River on June 18, 2021.

increasing stressors from climate change, barriers and waters warmed by recently-logged areas without adequate shade, the fish are easy pickings for fishermen and predators. Or, they may just die before spawning.

According to the center, “Washington coast spring Chinook have declined significantly and are now at a fraction of their historical abundance, with an average of only 3,200 adult spawning fish returning annually to Washington coast rivers.”

Miller said the status review is supposed to take one year, “but frequently takes longer. National Marine Fisheries Service will consult with state agencies, tribes, salmon experts and solicit public information to into the review.”

The agency’s full report can be found at https:// public-inspection.federalregister. gov/2023-26852. pdf.[i][/i]

What should concern folks is that the Chinook have declined AFTER they were listed elsewhere. As if the State and Tribes weren't paying attention to what was going on elsewhere.

Well this is not about the Chehalis or Grays Harbor but it is. Folks should participate but having watched WDFW work over the years it will be full of loop holes or they will attach new meaning to words when needed to do whatever they want. That is WDFW.






NEWS RELEASE



Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Dec. 22, 2023
Contact: Fish Program, 360-902-2700
Media contact: Mark Yuasa, 360-902-2262



WDFW seeks public input on North of Falcon Policy to guide salmon fishery planning process

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is opening a public comment period on its updated draft of the North of Falcon Policy for the 2024-28 salmon fishery planning process.
The draft of the North of Falcon Policy directs the WDFW to manage salmon and steelhead fisheries using a science-based, transparent approach and consistent with all conservation and legal obligations.
“Public feedback on this updated policy is critical,” said Kyle Adicks, WDFW Intergovernmental Salmon Manager. “This policy will provide guidance to the Department on how to plan and implement fisheries around the state within the complex legal and conservation frameworks that overlay salmon management.”

The annual North of Falcon salmon season-setting process is where state, federal, and tribal fishery managers work together to plan Washington’s commercial and recreational fishing seasons with input from the public. Each year, WDFW hosts more than a dozen public meetings in winter and spring to gather initial input from anglers around the state.

The public is invited to comment on the draft policy by submitting written comments via email at northoffalconfwcpolicy2024-28@publicinput.com, or by phone (855-925-2801, press #6825). Comments will be accepted through Jan. 15, 2024. Public comments received will be summarized for the Commission as they consider adoption of an updated policy during their January meeting. A link to the full draft policy is available on WDFW’s website.
All members of the public are invited to share their diverse perspectives and participate in WDFW public feedback opportunities regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin, language proficiency, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, or basis of disability.


WDFW works to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.



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Thanks Rivrguy. I got that email too. I'm tempted to comment about the ways WDFW throws sport fishing under the bus even when it serves no measurable conservation purpose, but apparently is done because the tribes tell them to. I guessing that won't gain much traction among the decision makers.

The annual WDFW "dog and pony show" is upon us. The State wants the recs input. North of Falcon. Save money, effort and time. WDFW, just ask the tribes what they are going to give us for rec seasons, tell us and be done with it. That is the present day co-management.

Lifter,

A few years ago I heard that from mid-December to mid-April, 75% of WDFW's Fish Division time is spent on NOF. Considering what NOF produces for us, I have wondered how different the outcome would look for us if WDFW didn't particiapte in NOF at all and simply ignored the annual process. It sure looks like non-treaty salmon fishing gets the seasons that the treaty tribes set of us. I see a lot of potential $$$ savings.

Wow do I agree with this.....I sat in on all of the meetings for a long time. To much of the time was spent on "trying to get NT fishing time"!!!!! NT should have been gone, a long time ago.

I have posted many times, merger of WDG and WDF, helped lead to do what ever could be done to for salmon and less time on steelhead, see what that did.

Chehalis still has 100's of hours spent on NOF. NT'ers continue to net in the Chehalis.....buy backs still, not being taken advantage of, grrrrrrrrrr Should have been a time limit placed on the buy back!!!!!

Two separate, directed, gillnet fisheries should NOT be allowed on the same water. QIN gets half, NT's with their poor fish handling and loud mouthed representatives should be GONE!

I really don't see why we have a NI commercial salmon fishery at least in the Boldt and Belloni case areas. The Tribes can do the commercial. Actually, the Tribes should do the commercial harvest of fish and shellfish.

We have three net fisheries not two. Chehalis tribe is non treaty so it counts as a state fishery.