Ya know, I am sick and tired of all the stuff about Natives this, Natives that...the problem isn't just systemic, and there are no silver bullets, and the problem is so deeply systemic, that it honestly can't be fixed. What it all comes down to, is social problems. Ya know what, people can crow all they want about this and that and try to impact on the problems. Fact is that there is ALL ways going to be this problem, because the WRONG leaders are in on it, which perpetuate the system, and the system favours the natives. The constitution and Indian Act provide for it, and so does the Fisheries and Oceans mandate as well. At this point in my opinion the situation borders on hopeless, and I can tell you that FOC and the ministers are GUTLESS, and why would they upset the apple cart? The only way that this is going to get fixed is if us sporties get out there and stand and blow our own horn to raise publicity of the issues, and wee interest groups with no media coverage, conservation groups, etc...are going to fix the problem either unless we as a group unite. I can remember the same BS going on 20 years ago.
What is going on here is that the natives have institutionalized rights, and that overpowers other concerns, like it or not, and YES I agree with the previous post, GREED is the problem, and what the Natives really want is conservation so that their GREED can continue, they can use the system to get what they want, after all, they push it past limits several times a year. And the Natives want other user groups to forego their rights and priviledges because of their Native blood and then masquerade under food and ceremonial purposes, as currently, most all conservation $$$ is spent by the other user groups other than Natives.
That's just one perspective and one large group of opinion holders out there, but all in all, this is one very sad situation. Cheers to Allwaysfishin, and the other guys that have the wherewithal to call spades, spades, and not let "cuz the law says so" to justify the immoral, unconscionable, and abusive actions of other user groups such as the Natives. It's time the laws changed, and something be done, for the problem isn't just Natives, it's apathy by people unwilling to deal with the roots of the problem, just the symptoms--and it is perpetuated by a sects of Native groups which justify their improprieties via their race.