Being Frank

  Oct/Nov 2017

Atlantic Salmon Must Go

by Lorraine Loomis

The backlash against Atlantic salmon farms in western Washington continues to grow as more than 100,000 of the non-native fish remain unaccounted for following the collapse of a Cooke Aquaculture facility in northern Puget Sound last month. Treaty tribes in … Continue reading →

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  August 2017

Let’s Move Past the Culvert Case

by Lorraine Loomis

The state of Washington has made remarkable progress in the past four years toward meeting a federal court mandate to repair hundreds of fish-blocking culverts under state roads. Failing culverts deny tribal treaty-reserved fishing rights that include the right for … Continue reading →

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  July 2017

Accountability Matters for Water and Treaty Rights

by Lorraine Loomis

Do you make sure you have enough money in your bank account before writing a check for a big purchase? Of course. That’s what responsible people do to avoid trouble down the road. You would think that kind of common-sense … Continue reading →

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  June 2017

Conservation Comes First

by Lorraine Loomis

An earlier start to the annual salmon season-setting process helped the tribal and state salmon co-managers finish their work right on time this year. Steadily shrinking salmon populations have made the process of establishing fishing seasons increasingly difficult. Last year’s … Continue reading →

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  April 2017

We Need to Do More to Clean Puget Sound

by Lorraine Loomis

The health of Puget Sound is getting some much-needed help from efforts to reduce polluted stormwater runoff and a proposed new law that would prohibit sewage discharge from boats. Polluted stormwater runoff from urban areas is the number one source … Continue reading →

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  March 2017

Salmon Management Process Underway Earlier

by Lorraine Loomis

The 2017 state and tribal salmon season-setting process got an earlier start this year. Nobody wants a repeat of last year’s North of Falcon process that required a month of overtime negotiations and led to a delay in opening some … Continue reading →

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  February 2017

Climate Change is Damaging Treaty Rights

by Lorraine Loomis

Climate change isn’t happening to some of us. It’s happening to all of us, and it’s going to take all of us to meet its challenges. A recent report from the treaty Indian tribes in western Washington brings the issue … Continue reading →

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  January 2017

State Water Quality Standards Finally Updated

by Lorraine Loomis

It took a long time on a rough road to get there, but today Washington has some of the most protective water quality standards in the nation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last month finalized updated state water quality standards … Continue reading →

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  December 2016

US Recognizing Tribal Rights

by Lorraine Loomis

A wave of federal recognition of tribal sovereignty and treaty rights has reached a high-water mark in the closing days of President Obama’s administration. We hope President-elect Donald Trump will help push that wave even higher. Obama kept his campaign … Continue reading →

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  Oct/Nov 2016

State Should Drop Culvert Case Appeal

Lorraine Loomis

We are disappointed to learn that the state of Washington will continue its long-standing efforts to deny tribal treaty-reserved fishing rights by once again appealing a federal court ruling requiring the repair of hundreds of fish-blocking culverts under state roads. … Continue reading →

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