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| ESCANABA -- U.S. Attorney Donald A. Davis announced Friday that the Attorney's office will not prosecute several members of the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians who were suspected of illegally catching and selling walleye from Little Bay de Noc.
The suspected illegal fishing took place in waters ceded to Native American Tribes in the Treaty of 1836. In 2000, the U.S., State of Michigan, and five separate Native American Tribes established an agreement regarding allocation, management, and regulation of fishing in the 1836 Treaty waters.
Under this agreement, the Tribes have exclusive jurisdiction to enforce fishing rules against Tribal members who fish in the waters.
There is an ongoing investigation into the activities of others who may have been involved.
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Member
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| Isn't that a cozy arrangement. Let's see how much our native friends are concerned about the resource.
Take care,
Jim O |
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| The Tribes prosecute infractions within Treaty agreements, and do so pretty rigorously, or that States can cause them some discomfort with Casinos. |
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Member
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| Then what the tribe should do , is turn them over to the government to be prosucuted,, show that they care about the enviroment, (they say there people of the land) lets step up to the plate show us, this stuff really pi.....es me off, THE END. |
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Location: Badgerland | proeye - 11/14/2010 3:34 PM
Then what the tribe should do , is turn them over to the government to be prosucuted,, show that they care about the enviroment, (they say there people of the land) lets step up to the plate show us, this stuff really pi.....es me off, THE END.
PLUS 1 !!! |
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New User
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| This is exactly why I will not be there or have not been there to spend my money in your community, it is being spent somewhere else!! |
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Member
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| after reading about the tribe . i think they did a good job, loosing all there tribal rights and a good fine , they come down on them hard, there is justice, thank you |
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Location: Menasha, WI | 2 plead not guilty to illegal fishing November 11, 2010 - By Jenny LancourESCANABA - Two Garden Peninsula men - recently arrested in connection with an illegal fishing operation on Little Bay de Noc - pleaded not guilty Wednesday to conspiring to buy/sell fish taken without a commercial license. The pleas were made in Delta County District Court. Fairport residents Troy Jensen, 43, of 2003 II Road, and Wade William Jensen, 45, of 2057 II Road, were arrested last weekend by a conservation officer from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE). The brothers appeared for their arraignment in district court Wednesday. Each was officially charged with unlawfully conspiring with one another and four others to buy/sell fish taken without a commercial fishing license from 2004-2009 in Delta County. The four others are Andrew Schwartz, John Schwartz and Kevin Schwartz - brothers from Rapid River - and John Elmer Halverson of Garden. Troy and Wade Jensen are tribal-licensed commercial fishermen who allegedly accepted fish - caught by the Schwartzes and Halverson - and sold the fish to a state-licensed wholesaler, according to DNRE officials. Halverson was arrested last week by the DNRE and charged with the same conspiracy as the Jensens. On Tuesday, Halverson waived his arraignment in district court. The misdemeanor carries a maximum sentencing of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. The Schwartz brothers - members of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa indians - were sentenced in tribal court in August for illegal commercial fishing activities on the bay. They were found in violation of 79 tribal fishing rules for a period in early 2009. The tribal judge permanently took away their tribal fishing rights and fined them a total of $13,175 in fines and costs and $15,214 in restitution. The Schwartzes have since filed an appeal. The Jensen brothers - also members of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa indians - are being charged in the state court for their alleged activity relating to the illegal sale of fish from the bay. Following their arrests this weekend, each posted a $1,000 bond, releasing them from police custody. The brothers were arraigned Wednesday before Judge Glenn Pearson who recommended they obtain an attorney. The tribe is not representing the Jensens in the court process, according to a tribal spokesperson. The six arrests above resulted from a DNRE investigation into an unusual high amount of walleye sales in the winter wholesale commercial fish market and an unexplained drop in angler catches. DNRE officials seized 265 pounds of fish illegally harvested from Little Bay de Noc and 1,200 feet of gill nets in February 2009 which lead to the arrests. http://www.dailypress.net/page/content.detail/id/527008/2-plead-not-guilty-to-illegal-fishing.html?nav=5003 |
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| "Unexplained drop in angler catches"
From my experiences over the last 5 years... I can confirm that. What a tragedy for the sportsman and the economy. It is truly a sad day when a few, greedy criminals can inflict such a tremendous harm.
Does anyone have any idea how long it will take for the bay to recover?
I hope it happens in my lifetime, if not, I have a couple thousand dollars of baits and equipment for sale!
Our first trip this year was highlighted by beautiful weather, a 7 lb bass, a dozen Northern and 1- 17inch Walleye. I’ll keep going because of tradition, but it truly a sad day for the bay.
Dominic
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Member
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Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Dominic:
I and others feel your pain brother. I will miss the Bay de Noc area. This was first time in 15 years that I did not go up.
I'd like to know how long also. Fish can still be caught and big fish are still around. But nothing like it was.
When I return it will be because of the great people there. |
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Member
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| Fishing has been really good, we have been catching big fish since october, it has been nice, because there has been nobody fishing, alot of big fish have been caught we practice catch and release up there. as long as the weather stays nice , well continue to alot of fish, everyday that we went fishing, we did not see another boat, the big fish are there there, you just have to change your technique, its not like the old days when you could troll anyplace and catch fish, FISHON GOTTA GO |
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| Can I come along? |
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Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Room for 2? LOL
You could go back to the archives and find statements that I made a few years ago that are identical to the one you made Jim. It doesn't change the scenerio however. We were spoiled and spoiled big time. I could tell ya' stories (and so could Purple skeeter) of nights where we caught over a dozen fish over 10 pounds. There was a time where you could catch over 40 fish in less than 4 hours on first reef and most were over 5-7 pounds. We kept blaming over-harvest by those fishermen who did not know better. But we always speculated more was happening. Miss the good old days? You bet!
Can you catch fish? Of course. Can you still have great outings? Certainly! We had 1 great day last year fishing the Ford Can break. made us think of the good 'ole days. But we still desire what once was. As said before, hope to see that again in my lifetime. We were spoiled. Now it has turned into just another regular fishery. Still good compared to other places but still a fragment of what it once was.
Unless you can show me otherwise LOL |
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Location: McFarland, WI | The reason fishing is good for Jim is nobody is there. When weather let us fish we also had good fishing and we were alone. Pressure those fish and they would be gone. In the old days they withstood the pressure. Patterns have changed also which might relate to prey predator relationships and this happened all over the bay. It was a different year. |
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| up you guys are right, remember when we could catch big out by black bottom during the day, the 1980 MWC it was fun (were gettting older) BAY DE NOC IS STILL MY FAVORITE,,, IT MAKES ME SAD TO SEE ALOT OF PEOPLE KEEPING BIG FISH,,, THEY JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND |
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| We did not make our annual trip up to Esky this year either. The last two years have not been well for us fishingwise, but yes, the people are great up there. In this article about the illegal netting, the DNR says it "noticed an abnormally high number of walleye being sold in the wholesale commercial market during winter over the past several years." It goes on to say "officers believe more than 20,000 pounds of walleye may have been taken from area waters through the illegal operation in the last two months alone." Take a second and do the quick math on that, then ask the motel/restraunt/bar/bait shop owners up there if they think the punishment those men got was severe enough. |
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| Guys,
Never mind the illegal netting. That is a drop in the bucket compared to the legal netting that they have been doing for years. I have had nets set around me. I attribute the destruction of one of my best areas to that.
The "subsistence" nettings and under the ice nettings have been continuous and on checked by tribe and MDNR.
Three years back a conservation officer shared with me pictures of the carcasses of netting walleyes through the ice. That is why you see more net stakes. The piles of walleye were measure by tonnage on dump on the highway.
I feel for the area merchants. basically the state sold them out to preserve the inland waters from the indians. The lower peninsula selling out the upper. In know the depletion of that fishery was due to one group of people being able to do what other can't or won't.
Commercial harvesting, indian or whoever up there and sportfishing can't coensist. To much insadental by netting.
The hotels, baitshops, restraurts, fishing guides and just us poor fisherman are now paying the price.
I'll be on the Mississippi River instead.
Sorry for the rant, a lot of friends were hurt and put out of business again. |
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| I spend a lot of time on the BaysdeNoc waters, had my share of those special nights in the fall, had a few real good ones with my buddy Sunshine. Strange how my secret waypoints were already on his graph, but I make up for it by stealing crankbaits while I'm driving the boat. (he always makes me drive so he can catch all the fish). No doubt that the netting has affected the fishery. Bright side may be that it will be more closely monitored in the future. Other factors not mentioned so far have been a huge reduction or cessation of most planting, a couple very poor spawning springs, high water temps, forage base changes, continued clearing of the water. We have to remember these fish are migratory, look at the explosion of walleye fishing in Green Bay in the last 10 years. Bumper boats on Geano's reef and nearby areas, has to have been a huge increase in the harvest numbers in the waters south of LBDN. No slots anywhere there either.
Later than normal migration this season, seemed to be fewer fish, although there were still significant numbers. Had some great days this year, didn't hit the fall fishing as hard as usual. Other positives were, an incredible number of sub-legal (13-14 1/2") fish this season, increased plantings, (including generous donations by Native Tribes), amazing numbers of good to great fish in August right there at-----well, I'll hold that one a little closer. Hoping for the resource to rebound, learning some new techniques (think weeds), and enjoying the wonderful opportunities right up the road from me. |
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| orchard frank your lucky to be close,,, i love it up there if my wife would move i would live of there in a heartbeat. |
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Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Miss ya' Frank. Great comments as always. Let's plan on getting together soon. Now go fill that freezer with venison.
Edited by Sunshine 11/22/2010 8:50 AM
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| WAS JUST UP TO THE BAY THIS LAST WEEKEND WATER TEMPS 42 TO 37 ON THE FAR NORTH END.WE ENDED UP WITH 10 FISH TOTAL ON FRIDAY WITH ONE BIG GIRL PUT HER BACK IN FOR THE INDIANS.SATURDAY WE LEFT EARLY CAUGHT 6 FISH 15" TO 21" YEARS AGO WE HAD A HARD TIME CATCHING ANYTHING SMALL.ITS DEFINTLY NOT THE SAME BUT STILL FUN TO GET OUT ON THE BAY. |
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| I grew up gill net fishing.I am truly sorry about people elegaly fishing. I believe we can all share the lake. There is a big diff
erence people fishing for fun or doing it for a living. Most commercial fisherman have done it for generations. If there wasnt enouph fish to make a living. You couldnt afford to fish the species you were after. Ime sure the DNR cant be blamed for planting thousand and thousands of pounds of half breed siscoet trout in the lakes that eat every species of fish in the lake, even the native trout. Once you have been out on the water just like sports fisherman you cant get enouph of it.I dont fish any more but there isnt a day goes buy that I dont miss it. Many of the native fisherman have been making there living on the great lakes for generations and many of us got up at 3 am and fought the weather rain, wind,snow and Ice on a dailey basis to suport our families.just like the white men did in the sixties. |
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