[JesseC]

I looked through the forum and didn't see this story linked - but it seems unlikely - so excuse me if this is a repost.

Hoping someone with more of the backstory can chime in here.

1- isn't reporting the catch a requirement?
2- is the report just late?
3- what legal ramifications are there for not submitting the catch records?
4- are there any federal or state audits that take place to count the catch? Seems like it would be "easy" to reverse engineer from an accounting perspective.

http://tidalexchange.com/2016/12/23/no-coho-
catch-reports-sound-tribes-2016/

 

[grantfurness]

The answer to #3 is none. They can do whatever they want

 

[Thrasybulus]

Perhaps the incoming leadership at the Department of Interior will be less indulgent of recent Tribal tactics in the NOF process? This lack of salmon catch reporting is not helping to restore trust.

 

[DeadandBloated]

As far as the next administration and how it may deal with native rights..

http://www.columbian.com/news/2016/may/07/press-talk-trump-and-the-cowlitz-casino/

Trump wanted a big piece of the Cowlitz Casino as far back as 2007..and came out for a personal visit.

and another source..
"A few years later, Trump was trying to get in bed with Indian Country. He visited the Cowlitz Tribe in Washington in the early 2000s and again made big promises.
"Trump said it was the most incredible site he had ever seen, incredible," Dave Barnett, the son of the late Chairman John Barnett, told The Columbian earlier this year. The tribe ended up not going with the mogul after believing he was asking for too much money."

That said, who knows. Seems to be a pull to who has the most money as to the future loyalties of the next administration. If the next administration starts messing with native fishing rights, this will be hefty.

 

[KerryS]

Does anyone have the sport fishing coho and chinook harvest numbers for 2016?

 

[Dr. Magill]

Well I'm surprised - bigley. The tribes have shown year in and year out that they are serious and consistent stewards of the resource. Why anyone can't see through this bullshit is beyond comprehension to me. I'm not buying another license in this state. May keep fishing though. I haven't killed a fish in several years. WTF am I paying for?

 

[Stonefish]

Does anyone have the sport fishing coho and chinook harvest numbers for 2016?

Not a complete list Kerry, but the coho numbers for most of the sound are pretty easy to come up with.
I'm sure some coho were harvested by folks that just didn't know it was closed to retention or just didn't care that it was.
MA 8-1 through MA 11 should have zero coho sport catch.
MA 12 was open for coho and MA 13 opened late.
As far as chinook go, both MA 9 (3,056) and MA 10 (1,395) fished on a quotas. MA 9 closed three weeks early based on catch estimates projected to fill the quota. If I remember correctly MA 10 closed with some fish still available within the quota.
I believe MA 11 had a quota, but it seemed to be a mystery number to most people.

I'd imagine the rest of the coho and chinook sport catch won't be available until the catch card numbers are tabulated which would be after March 31st.

Based on fish tickets from any commercial fisheries both tribal and non-tribal, I'd think those numbers would be available rather immediately, but I may be wrong on that.
The tribes certainly did fish coho. I know I'd personally like to see their harvest numbers whenever they are made available, which they should be under the co-manager system.
SF

 

[DeadandBloated]

perhaps the results are "under audit"..

 

[KerryS]

Yeah, I found the creel reports. I also found catch records for 2014 but nothing for 15 or 16. Didn't look that hard.

I spoke to soon in the replies to the article. Not gonna worry about it. I am curious as to when the tribes usually report their catch. No one seems to know and the article condemns the tribes without questioning whether they have their catch reports compiled yet or if the tribes are refusing to report any catch data.

 

[Poopy McButtfart]

Is this really any worse than when they report and their catch numbers are magically exactly what their quota is?

 

[mcoomer]

I'm guessing that some of you are still operating under the belief that he tribes and state are "partners" in their stewardship of this vital natural resource, the Washington state salmon fishery. If you are, you should understand that the tribes have different view of this partnership. Their view is we got ours, didn't you get yours? Oh well, we got ours. I don't see this changing.

Mike

 

[gt]

the tribes care about a single thing, $$$$$$$$$. they are NOT partners in any sense of the word when it comes to resource management save for making more $$$$$$$$. WDFW has mismanaged our resources for decades now and it shows with poor run returns, lawsuits and reduced seasons. now they want to increase license fees because their budget is getting squeezed. i absolutely refuse to buy a license and fish in this state. travelling to fish has become the standard in this household and i encourage you to join my silent protest and NOT buy a license for this coming season. other states and provinces seem to have figured out how to manage their resources and i am not having a problem having fun fishing again outside this state. there is zero way to get the tribes to cooperate unless federal lawsuits are filed and WDFW is not interested in going down that path. they are all 'independent' nations and free to do pretty much whatever they choose to do regarding resource harvest. there is no harvest data, because they are not obligated to share anything with you or me. get used to it, that is how this operates and how it will continue to operate.

 

[rpbfishin]

Tribes Report "no Catch" For 2016

I call bs on that... I saw the indians (don't know what tribe they were from) kill at least 8 coho or whatever had swam into their dirty gill nets. This was down at the spud bar earlier this year. That's at least 8 fish they are lying about. Fuckers.

 

[freestoneangler]

the tribes care about a single thing, $$$$$$$$$. they are NOT partners in any sense of the word when it comes to resource management save for making more $$$$$$$$. WDFW has mismanaged our resources for decades now and it shows with poor run returns, lawsuits and reduced seasons. now they want to increase license fees because their budget is getting squeezed. i absolutely refuse to buy a license and fish in this state. travelling to fish has become the standard in this household and i encourage you to join my silent protest and NOT buy a license for this coming season. other states and provinces seem to have figured out how to manage their resources and i am not having a problem having fun fishing again outside this state. there is zero way to get the tribes to cooperate unless federal lawsuits are filed and WDFW is not interested in going down that path. they are all 'independent' nations and free to do pretty much whatever they choose to do regarding resource harvest. there is no harvest data, because they are not obligated to share anything with you or me. get used to it, that is how this operates and how it will continue to operate.

No real surprise here. This has been a bone of contention for decades. Some will argue that, given how poorly they have been treated over our nations history, this is fair. Fair or not, I simply cannot see how most of these fisheries, in the decimated condition they are now in, as being very profitable. Does anyone on the forum work with any of the tribes and know?

 

[DeadandBloated]

the tribes care about a single thing, $$$$$$$$$. they are NOT partners in any sense of the word when it comes to resource management save for making more $$$$$$$$. WDFW has mismanaged our resources for decades now and it shows with poor run returns, lawsuits and reduced seasons. now they want to increase license fees because their budget is getting squeezed. i absolutely refuse to buy a license and fish in this state. travelling to fish has become the standard in this household and i encourage you to join my silent protest and NOT buy a license for this coming season. other states and provinces seem to have figured out how to manage their resources and i am not having a problem having fun fishing again outside this state. there is zero way to get the tribes to cooperate unless federal lawsuits are filed and WDFW is not interested in going down that path. they are all 'independent' nations and free to do pretty much whatever they choose to do regarding resource harvest. there is no harvest data, because they are not obligated to share anything with you or me. get used to it, that is how this operates and how it will continue to operate.

Thing is, this state has the best fishing outside of BC and has issues that Idaho and Montana do not have..like Steelhead and Salmon????? (Idaho has a few boots that get there..barely).

Unless you like non-native Montana Brown Trout, I'll take this state over any other. Oregon is
ok (some good stuff..but shhhhh).

Can't remember the last time I read a story about the Sea Run Cutts in Idaho or Montana..
Maybe the Orcas get them all... : )

(I know, I know.. THE WOLVES got them all.... : )

 

[The T.O. Show]

Thing is, this state has the best fishing outside of BC and has issues that Idaho and Montana do not have..like Steelhead and Salmon????? (Idaho has a few boots that get there..barely).

Well, you might be forgetting about Alaska... but I otherwise agree with you. MT and ID trout fishing is top class, but they have little to no opportunity for sea-run fish which makes WA a more unique fishery (and better fishery depending on the POV). But that also makes our management/conservation issues ten times more complicated...

 

[Jim F.]

I'm NOT attempting to argue, but since we're expressing opinions - I'll take my native state, Montana and I LOVE big Browns. I WILL purchase a Montana license in 2017 & probably Oregon and Idaho as well; I'm as yet undecided re: Washington - I can satisfy any local fly-fishing urges by chasing Carp here for free. In my part of the state, what you pay versus what you can access/opportunities is a far less than an equitable trade-off IMHO. IF I lived on the west side, I'd purchase a license without reservation, however.

 

[DeadandBloated]

Well, you might be forgetting about Alaska... but I otherwise agree with you. MT and ID trout fishing is top class, but they have little to no opportunity for sea-run fish which makes WA a more unique fishery (and better fishery depending on the POV). But that also makes our management/conservation issues ten times more complicated...

Oh, I meant reasonable driving distance : )

We do have better Cutthroat and Steelhead than Alaska, but pale when it comes to Grayling, Leopard Rainbow Trout and Sheefish..and bears...etc.

 

[gt]

Thing is, this state has the best fishing outside of BC

non resident BC license is dirt cheap and the province not that far away. Van Isle has more than WA has to offer and there are actually runs of fish to ponder over. mainland BC is steelhead heaven, just like the west side of WA used to be. the exchange rate is killer right now so why not take advantage of all of these opportunities. i already have a June booking for halibut and salmon and will be headed up that way on new years day to check out some other opportunities. that province has it all, go for it and leave the indians to catch the last salmon swimming down in WA waters.

 

[DeadandBloated]

1. 
   1 US dollar = 1.3579 Canadian dollars

wow !