Being Frank

Polluted stormwater runoff is one of the biggest obstacles to salmon recovery and the cleanup of Puget Sound. Scientists have seen adult coho salmon dying within 24 hours of returning…

These short, cold, rainy and sometimes snowy days of winter always make me think about our treaties. It was during this time of year more than 150 years ago that…

We are losing the battle for salmon recovery in western Washington because salmon habitat is being destroyed faster than it can be restored. Despite massive cuts in harvest, careful use…

I’m starting to wonder if the state’s budget problems mean it will no longer be able to co-manage natural resources with the treaty tribes. Even President Obama has said recently…

How much fish and shellfish do you eat? For more than 20 years the state of Washington has based its water quality standards on the idea that we eat one…

Salmon are on the same downward trend as the amount and quality of their habitat, and until we turn that around, there’s little hope for their recovery. The tribes believe…

We all owe a big “thank you” to the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. They never gave up on getting those two dams torn down, and today that dream is becoming…

I’ve been talking a lot lately about the connection between salmon, habitat and treaty rights. That connection is pretty simple. No habitat equals no salmon; no salmon equals no treaty…

Our treaty right to gather shellfish depends on the shellfish being safe to eat. Samish Bay is one of the traditional shellfish gathering areas for the Swinomish and Upper Skagit…

Salmon are incredibly productive by nature. Give them some good habitat, manage harvest carefully, and they will thrive. We’re doing a good job with the careful harvest management part of…