Tribe already has said they would never do that, it is their right to fish, so fish they do, with nets, across entire rivers with a dwindling stock, yeah I don't like it either, but that's boldlt for ya
Ideas - How Do You Get Nets Out Of The Op?
I was thinking about this and came up with an idea:
1st - Determine how much income Tribes make from steelhead sales
2nd - Create a OP stamp similar to the Columbia River endorsement stamp something that would be double the income 0f the tribe - I would have the in-state cost be approx 1/3 the cost of the out of state cost.
3rd - give tribe half the money; other half goes into habitat restoration or something
4th - Nets pulled, tribe guides for C&R fishing; line caught hatchery fish is ok to sell, etc..
I'm sure something like this has been proposed and shot down, but it seems like it would work. I would easily pay an extra $30-100 bucks a year if they would stop netting steelhead.
OK now for the fun part.....chuck a rock please....
1st - Determine how much income Tribes make from steelhead sales
2nd - Create a OP stamp similar to the Columbia River endorsement stamp something that would be double the income 0f the tribe - I would have the in-state cost be approx 1/3 the cost of the out of state cost.
3rd - give tribe half the money; other half goes into habitat restoration or something
4th - Nets pulled, tribe guides for C&R fishing; line caught hatchery fish is ok to sell, etc..
I'm sure something like this has been proposed and shot down, but it seems like it would work. I would easily pay an extra $30-100 bucks a year if they would stop netting steelhead.
OK now for the fun part.....chuck a rock please....
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Makes a lot of sense to me, but from what I've heard such attempts have been made before and the tribe has shown zero willingness to sell off their portion of the catch.
Their long standing tradition of towing their aluminum boats, complete with 4 stroke motors, down to the river in their F350s to fish is just far too scared to give up I guess.
Their long standing tradition of towing their aluminum boats, complete with 4 stroke motors, down to the river in their F350s to fish is just far too scared to give up I guess.
To the tribes, a fish is just a fish whether it is hatchery or wild. Both bring the same amount of dollars.
Trying to overcome a mentality that catch and release is "playing with your food" is difficult at best.
I think a better option would be to pressure buyers to stop buying steelhead, but that would be difficult as well.
As long as there is a market, the tribes will continue to net.
Someone in NY or Florida is just looking for a meal at a restaurant and they likely have no clue about the plight wild steelhead.
It would be interesting though to see how much netting effort would continue if there was no market for steelhead.
SF
Trying to overcome a mentality that catch and release is "playing with your food" is difficult at best.
I think a better option would be to pressure buyers to stop buying steelhead, but that would be difficult as well.
As long as there is a market, the tribes will continue to net.
Someone in NY or Florida is just looking for a meal at a restaurant and they likely have no clue about the plight wild steelhead.
It would be interesting though to see how much netting effort would continue if there was no market for steelhead.
SF
The tribe's will never forfeit their history or their rights, EVER! Want to get rid of the nets? Kill very person on the planet!
My thoughts (?) exactly...........The tribe's will never forfeit their history or their rights, EVER! Want to get rid of the nets? Kill very person on the planet!
War. Or something close to it.
Treaty fishing rights are not for sale. The tribes have reiterated that statement many times over. Even if there were more money from not fishing than they make from gillnetting, a fair number will continue to net because of cultural beliefs. And let's be honest, some will continue to net, even when there are few fish to be caught, just as a way of saying, "screw you Honky!" Some tribal fishermen will continue to net even when it's not viable, just as some crazy sport fishermen will continue to fish even though they are no longer catching fish.
Other than that, a proposal to buy the treaty catch before it is caught, paying the tribe to leave those fish in the river, is an offer that respects the tribal property right and fishing right and makes good business sense. It just doesn't make good cultural sense from a treaty tribal perspective.
Treaty fishing rights are not for sale. The tribes have reiterated that statement many times over. Even if there were more money from not fishing than they make from gillnetting, a fair number will continue to net because of cultural beliefs. And let's be honest, some will continue to net, even when there are few fish to be caught, just as a way of saying, "screw you Honky!" Some tribal fishermen will continue to net even when it's not viable, just as some crazy sport fishermen will continue to fish even though they are no longer catching fish.
Other than that, a proposal to buy the treaty catch before it is caught, paying the tribe to leave those fish in the river, is an offer that respects the tribal property right and fishing right and makes good business sense. It just doesn't make good cultural sense from a treaty tribal perspective.
So which groups brought this type of thing up to the tribes / and which tribes did they approach?
Having moved to the OP from central oregon and only seeing natives dip net around Sheares falls (which takes some serious balls) it was extremely disheartening to see all the nets and jet sleds on the lower Hoh the first time i walked down there. Thats not what i thought traditional net fishing was.
I can kind of understand netting some salmon runs but netting and selling steelhead to me is just wrong.
Education is the best and most obvious tool to use. I have worked in the food service industry for 13 years i know how ignorant most people are who eat out and who work in the industry. If we were more open to new ideas on where and how our food is produced and procured we could avoid most of these issues. For example on the Columbia river there is a huge battle over nets but we count every fish that goes over Bonneville dam. Why are hatchery fish stock quotas not just taken at dam collection sights instead of being netted at the detriment to native stocks. The Dnr agency's involved could then allocate those fish to tribes or the commercial industry all while leaving enough fish around for sportsmen. Meanwhile they could be making a profit to improve our current shortfalls in today's fisheries with out raising prices on licences or introducing special permits. The OP has other issues the Quillayutte tribe nets the Quillayute river for early winter hatchery steelhead that go up to the bogie hatchery but they could just collect them at the hatchery with out ever netting. Instead they use gill nets on undammed rivers that originate in an old growth coastal rain forest at the detriment of wild stocks. I know its all politics but when do we put fish first and manage our resources responsibly as natives, sportsmen and commercial fishermen!
I can kind of understand netting some salmon runs but netting and selling steelhead to me is just wrong.
Education is the best and most obvious tool to use. I have worked in the food service industry for 13 years i know how ignorant most people are who eat out and who work in the industry. If we were more open to new ideas on where and how our food is produced and procured we could avoid most of these issues. For example on the Columbia river there is a huge battle over nets but we count every fish that goes over Bonneville dam. Why are hatchery fish stock quotas not just taken at dam collection sights instead of being netted at the detriment to native stocks. The Dnr agency's involved could then allocate those fish to tribes or the commercial industry all while leaving enough fish around for sportsmen. Meanwhile they could be making a profit to improve our current shortfalls in today's fisheries with out raising prices on licences or introducing special permits. The OP has other issues the Quillayutte tribe nets the Quillayute river for early winter hatchery steelhead that go up to the bogie hatchery but they could just collect them at the hatchery with out ever netting. Instead they use gill nets on undammed rivers that originate in an old growth coastal rain forest at the detriment of wild stocks. I know its all politics but when do we put fish first and manage our resources responsibly as natives, sportsmen and commercial fishermen!
It has already been shown that if there are no buyers for steelhead in the food markets, the tribes will sell them as halibut and crab bait.
Bob,
Where are you finding that info?
SF
Where are you finding that info?
SF
I wish I could remember the exact year when I was told this, by a tribal fisherman I knew. But it was a few years ago at least. Maybe 5 years ago. He knew because he was there. They can sell to anyone. But when prices get too low, or people won't buy, they always have a cheap market to unload them on. They will not stop fishing.
Thanks for the reply.I wish I could remember the exact year when I was told this, by a tribal fisherman I knew. But it was a few years ago at least. Maybe 5 years ago. He knew because he was there. They can sell to anyone. But when prices get too low, or people won't buy, they always have a cheap market to unload them on. They will not stop fishing.
That makes sense. I've been approached at launch site parking lots by tribal members offering to sell salmon, steelhead and eggs.
SF
I grew up around tribal members, and I count quite a few as friends. I can assure you their treaty rights are not for sale. You could make certain rivers tribal guides only and hope they curtail the gill net fishery.
The "we'll fish until there are no fish" mentality shows the bankruptcy of their culture. Selling wild steelhead as crab food unfortunately demonstrates a complete lack of awareness. I'm sure it's not every tribal member, but damn it sure seems like it.
When the fish stocks collapse (which might not be long) and they can't fish, they'll wish they'd taken a deal.
It seems like the Canadian tribes "get it" and are at the forefront of conservation. I wish the same were true here.
When the fish stocks collapse (which might not be long) and they can't fish, they'll wish they'd taken a deal.
It seems like the Canadian tribes "get it" and are at the forefront of conservation. I wish the same were true here.
Yes, if only they had the moral compass of the white man...The "we'll fish until there are no fish" mentality shows the bankruptcy of their culture.
used christmas trees?Bales of hay?
How to get the nets out? End all harvest.
That's not at all what he said. Man, PC culture sucks. People go out of there way to get offended lol.Yes, if only they had the moral compass of the white man...
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