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Working for Tomorrow Every Day

I am honored and humbled to follow in the footsteps of Billy Frank Jr. as chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. Of course no one can ever truly replace our longtime chairman and friend Billy Frank Jr. It will take all of us to do that. Billy wrote this column for many years. The […]

Tell The Truth

Note: Being Frank is the monthly opinion column that was written for many years by the late Billy Frank Jr., NWIFC Chairman. To honor him, the treaty Indian tribes in western Washington will continue to share their perspectives on natural resources management through this column. This month’s writer is Dave Herrera, a Skokomish tribal member […]

Listen to the Planet

Note: Being Frank is the monthly opinion column that was written for many years by the late Billy Frank Jr., NWIFC Chairman. To honor him, the treaty Indian tribes in western Washington will continue to share their perspectives on natural resources management through this column. This month’s writer is Ed Johnstone, treasurer of the NWIFC […]

Honoring the Legacy of Billy Frank Jr.

Note: Being Frank is the monthly opinion column that was written for many years by the late Billy Frank Jr., NWIFC Chairman. To honor him, the treaty Indian tribes in western Washington will continue to share their perspectives on natural resources management through this column. This month’s writer is Lorraine Loomis, vice-chair of the NWIFC […]

Keep Big Oil Out of Grays Harbor

Our environment, health, safety and communities are at risk from decisions being made now to transport and export trainloads of coal and oil through western Washington. If coal export terminals proposed for Cherry Point near Bellingham, and Longview on the Columbia River are approved, hundreds of trains and barges would run from Montana and Wyoming […]

Put People Before Profits

When it comes to your chances of getting cancer from the foods you eat, what odds would you like: one in a million, or one in 100,000? Of course all of us would prefer the least amount of risk. That’s why it’s hard to believe that Gov. Jay Inslee is even considering changing water quality […]

New Hatchery a Blessing

I was excited to attend a groundbreaking ceremony recently for a new state salmon hatchery at Voights Creek near Orting. The new facility replaces a hatchery – nearly wiped out by floods in 2009 – that has been operating on the creek since the early 1900s. Close tribal and state cooperation made the new hatchery […]

Bill Could Lead to Justice, Healing

As we mark the 40th anniversary of the Boldt decision in U.S. v. Washington, a bill in the state legislature is trying to atone for some of the harm caused to Indian people during the Fish Wars of the 60s and 70s. House Bill 2080 would clear misdemeanor and certain felony convictions from the records […]

Good Relationships Don’t Just Happen

Good relationships don’t just happen. We have to work together to build and maintain a strong foundation of trust and commitment to keep a relationship healthy and strong. As we mark the 40th anniversary of the Boldt decision this year, the tribal and state natural resources co-managers met recently to re-dedicate ourselves to the principles […]