Boldt decision

In 1974, the case United States v. Washington was heard in federal court, four years after it had been filed. Judge George Hugo Boldt, who had no prior knowledge of Indian law, was appointed the case.

Judge George Hugo Boldt

After being offered sufficient evidence that the term “in common with” meant "equal" when the treaty of Medicine Creek was signed, Boldt decided that Indian fishermen had the right to exactly half of each run of fish that would pass through recognized tribal fishing grounds.

description of the case- http://www.ccrh.org/comm/river/legal/boldt.htm

After the ruling passed, the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commssion was founded in order to assist the management of tribal fisheries. Its main office is located in Olympia.

http://www.nwifc.wa.gov/

Billy Frank Jr., co-founder and present chairman of NWIFC