Episode 26: The inside co-management story following the Boldt decision

This podcast focuses on the co-management system in Washington State and the arduous journey it took to be implemented. In the early 1970s, there was extreme conflict between the State of Washington and the tribes over fishing rights. The Boldt decision in 1974 mandated a 50/50 split of the fish harvest between tribal and non-tribal fishers, which was met with intense political and public resistance. The situation was so chaotic that the courts had to manage the fishery. Bill Wilkerson, former director of the Washington Department of Fisheries, discusses how he and Billy Frank Jr., a prominent tribal leader, forged a friendship and found common ground in their desire to enhance the salmon resource and manage the fishery collaboratively. This led to a pilot project in 1984, where both parties worked together to manage the fishery for the summer, resulting in fewer court cases and better management. Wilkerson stresses that choosing to cooperate, even when unpopular, led to positive outcomes for the fishery and for the relationship between the state and the tribes. To pick up Bill Wilkerson's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Common-Decision-Salmon-Pacific-Northwest/dp/1737595346/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=