Number: 1978-36
WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court has ruled that the State of California is without authority to regulate Indian fishing on the Klamath River Reservations; and
WHEREAS, fishing regulations established by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, for the 1977 season were unenforceable and fishing essentially was unregulated; and
WHEREAS, intensive and unregulated river net salmon fisheries have the potential to virtually eliminate salmon populations; and
WHEREAS, the fish resources of the Klamath and Trinity Rivers belong to all of the citizens of California and the citizens of several states have an interest in maintenance and preservation of these resources;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 16-19, 1978, in Phoenix, Ariz., hereby petitions the federal government to exercise its responsibility to regulate the commercial fishing in the Klamath and Trinity Rivers until such time as a management plan and effective fishery regulations are established which will protect this fishery resource in the interest of all user groups.