Tribal governments regulate Indian fishing according to rules imposed by the U.S. District Court. Every tribe adopts fishing regulations in accordance with sound fisheries management. The tribes and the state work together in drafting their fisheries regulations. Tribes must hire or have available to them a fisheries biologist to assist in drafting regulations and monitoring the fishery. They must also have the capability to enforce their regulations and prosecute violators.
Every precaution is taken to protect the valuable fisheries resource.
Basically, interpretation of the treaty dealt with an opportunity to catch the fish. Under the treaties and the law, both Indians and non- Indians must have an equal opportunity to catch half of the available fish. An opportunity must include both time, availability and fishing power. Before the Boldt decision, Indians were unable to catch their share of the fish because most of a run had been caught before it reached Indian nets. Thus Indians were forced to close their fisheries in order to allow spawners to go upstream.