The restoration of equity and opportunity
Fish Northwest is committed to the conservation and preservation of Puget Sound salmon stocks while restoring and expanding fishing opportunities for Washington’s anglers, their families, and businesses. This can only be achieved if we stop the overharvest of wild fish and use selective fishing methods to harvest hatchery fish.
We believe that the future of recreational fishing opportunities depends on the conservation and recovery of wild salmon along with the science-based production and harvest of hatchery fish. We believe that by using the best available science our wild salmon runs can be conserved and rebuilt, while an abundant hatchery fish population can provide ample fishing opportunities for the public. We think these things can be achieved while increasing hatchery fish production by ensuring equity and fairness are restored to Puget Sound’s recreational salmon fishing seasons. Our immediate goal is to have WA State comply with the Boldt Decision which specifies the requirement of equal sharing of our salmon resources. In the long term, we’d like to see WA State return to robust hatchery production of salmon and steelhead utilizing a public and private partnership model to the benefit of all those who fish, both tribal and non-tribal.
We see a dysfunctional North of Falcon season-setting process, a flawed ten-year Puget Sound Chinook Resource Management Plan (RMP), and the lack of a State ESA fishing permit, as true management deficiencies. The cumulative effect of these deficiencies has been WDFW departing from, or in some cases completely ignoring, the federal court-adopted Puget Sound Salmon Management Plan (PSSMP) and the legal mandates related to the 1974 landmark case commonly known as the Boldt Decision. Given all this, we came together and began the legal process to set these issues right and launched the requisite legal actions. We will need all the financial support we can get. If you agree that recreational salmon fishing opportunities in WA State are unjustifiably dismal, and getting worse, please consider donating and supporting our cause to restore equity and opportunity.
We expect a lengthy legal battle to achieve equitable recreational salmon fishing opportunities again in WA State. This will be a long and costly journey, but we are determined to stay the course and prevail. We will need sustained financial support from those of you who want to see the restoration of equity and opportunity.
COURT DOCUMENTS (LAWSUIT #1):
FNW Response to United States and Treaty Tribes
FNW Response to State of Washington
Order denying Motion to Intervene
COURT DOCUMENTS (LAWSUIT #2):
60-Day Notice of Intent to Sue
Administrative Record (NMFS document collection)
COURT DOCUMENTS (CONSOLIDATION OF LAWSUITS):
