While the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa announced it might spear/net fish in five Cook County lakes this spring, its tribal members fished in just three lakes, said Fond du Lac Fisheries Biologist Brian Borkholder.
Crescent, Brule, and Cascade lakes yielded 201 pounds of walleye over two days.
On May 2, ten tribal members speared 85 walleyes on Crescent Lake. On May 4 four people used gill nets on Brule and Cascade while four people speared on Brule and two people speared on Cascade. Six walleye were caught on Brule, 56 walleye were caught from Cascade, and one northern pike was also taken from Brule that night.
When the fishing ended Borkholder totaled the catch. Overall 7.2 pounds of fish were caught from Brule Lake, 76.2 pounds from Cascade Lake and 117.6 pounds from Crescent Lake.
Tribal members also caught eight Tullibee weighing 11.8 pounds and three suckers weighing eight pounds.
Last year Pike, Caribou, Tait, and Four Mile lakes saw a harvest of 190 walleyes for a total of 223.4 pounds.
Fond du Lac members are allowed to fish under the 1854 Treaty, which was signed between the U.S. and Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, and Boise Forte bands. The bands ceded lands to the federal government in an exchange for hunting and fishing rights.
In 1988, the state of Minnesota negotiated an out-of-court settlement with Fond du Lac, Boise Forte and Grand Portage over rights reserved in the 1854 Treaty but Fond du Lac opted out of the agreement in 1989.
Under terms of the current agreement Boise Forte and Grand Portage restrict their harvest of off-reservation game, fish, and wild rice in return for an annual payment from the state that is based on a formula tied to the revenue from hunting and fishing license sales.
Twice a year Fond du Lac representatives meet with officials from Mille Lacs, the state of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and six bands from Wisconsin to discuss data, exchange information, and review management of fisheries within the bands’ jurisdiction. At these meetings representatives from each group look at models and predictors of current walleye status in fisheries the bands have selected to fish, and quotas are established with the state not only for walleye, but also for northern pike, yellow perch, burbot and tullibee.
Once the information has been examined, agreements on harvests are set with the state of Minnesota, and by March 15 the bands set harvest quotas and send that information to the state. Once a harvest quota is set, bands have agreed not to exceed more than 50 percent of the allowable harvest for each lake.
Fishing begins once the ice leaves the water. However, before harvest activity can take place the band must first notify the state by noon, which lake (or lakes) they will be fishing in. Additionally the band must notify the state which landing will be used and declare how many permits will be available for that night’s activity. Tribal fishermen are only allowed two walleye per permit larger than 20 inches, and only one of those can be larger than 24 inches.
Leave a Reply