The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has announced plans to spearfish in four lakes in Cook County this spring.
Once the ice goes off of the lakes, the Band plans to spear in Pike, Caribou, Tait, and Four Mile lakes in Cook County and Cadotte Lake in St. Louis County, harvesting a total of 950 pounds of fish.
Last year’s plan to spear in 13 northeastern Minnesota lakes was cancelled because of late ice-out.
Fond du Lac Fisheries Biologist Brian Borkholder said, “The Band has committed to not spear after the evening of May 7. We will not be there after the state fishing opener. For most lakes, I suspect we will only be there for one or two nights.”
Spearing will be conducted under the guidance of Fond du Lac game wardens, biologists and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) staff.
Under the 1837 Ceded Territory agreement, Fond du Lac is under no obligation to meet with or notify the state about its plans to net or spear in ceded territories. However, a committee was formed—the Fisheries Technical Committee—that meets twice a year to discuss data, exchange information, and review management of fisheries within the band’s jurisdiction.
At these meetings representatives of the State of Minnesota, Mille Lacs, Fond du Lac and six bands from Wisconsin get together to 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 for northern pike, yellow perch, burbot and tullibee.
Under the agreement with the State of Minnesota the bands must set harvest quotas and send that information to the state by March 15. Once a harvest quota is set, bands have agreed not to exceed more than 50 percent of the allowable harvest for each lake. The state will review those goals and look at the models and adjust length and creel limits if necessary, so state anglers can stay within the quota and not over-harvest walleyes or any other species in a lake.
Fishing will begin once the ice leaves the water. However, before any harvest activity can take place the band must notify the state by noon, which lake (or lakes) and 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.
When band members have finished fishing for the night they must take their fish to the landing and surrender them to wardens and biologists for inspection. Borkholder said the fish are weighed and measured and in addition, biologists take otoliths (inner ear bones) to help determine the age of the fish.
“Once we have collected the data we tally the total weight and number of fish and fax them to the state by 11 a.m.,” said Borkholder.
As the quota is neared the number of permits will be limited, said Borkholder, and fishing in the evening will be closed earlier if necessary.
According to Burkholder, by following these rules Fond du Lac and the other seven tribes that fall under the 1837 Ceded Territory agreement have never exceeded their walleye limit on Mille Lacs Lake or any of the other, smaller lakes in the treaty agreement.
Because Caribou Lake is listed as “infected” with rusty crayfish, Borkholder said, “For all Band members that fish on Caribou, they will be required to stop by offices here at Fond du Lac, and allow the Fond du Lac staff to give their boats a 165 (F) degree hot steam power shower to kill off any spiny waterflea that may have hitchhiked on their boat and trailer.”
Caribou Lake covers 721 acres, Tait 355, Pike 814, Four Mile 593, and Cadotte is 294 acres. Fond du Lac biologists conduct electrofishing on these and many other lakes in Cook, Lake and St. Louis County to come up with fish counts on these lakes. Borkholder said that for Tait and Caribou Lakes, the number of pounds of fish taken is less than 95 percent of the estimated number of fish in the lakes.
When asked how many band members will spear, Borkholder replied, “That’s the $20,000 question. Last year we had 35 band members sign up for Mille Lacs and only 11 showed up. This year, we have over 40 signed up. So perhaps 12 or 13? Hard to say.”
Fond du Lac will send 3-5 wardens and a team of 4-5 biologists and technicians out each night. Band members must check in at the landing and pick up a permit before fishing. At that time wardens will inspect each boat for safety, life vests, registration, and even inspect spears to ensure they comply with court-ordered specifications.
Borkholder is confident that with all of the safeguards in place the spearing will go smoothly. Based on electrofishing surveys the Band conducts and a model based upon walleye thermal and optical habitat (TOHA), “This gives us an estimate of pounds available for harvest. And we have opted for a very conservative harvest using this TOHA model, and evaluate it over a number of years to see how walleye populations respond using this model and harvest regime.”
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