TV6 Illegal netting update

[veese_2001]

http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/news/story.aspx?id=425961

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.

[slammer]

Hey Veese,
Thanks for ruining my weekend with that report!!!
I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.

[Ragboy]

Way to go. This sounds so much like the spearing in WI. Maybe they should give these guys a time out-oh yeah, that would be too harsh!!!!

[hook em and cook em]

All that means is gill neetting will become much more popular on bay de noc. Dont take the slot off the bay though, the indians wont be able to net and sell all those big ones if we take them with hook and line. I predicted nothing would come of this situation way back. Let the gill nettting begin. People think the fishing has been tough the past couple years..... To that I say...You aint seen tough fishing yet....... Now some of you guys can say "there are more fish in the bay than there ever has" blather. Good thing, we dont want the indians to run out of fish to slaughter.

[rockbass]

What a huge suprise. Why don't we get the names at least?

[Ifishok]

http://www.dailypress.net/page/content.detail/id/517888.html?nav=5003


The press article seems to say a little more, feds didn't want to touch it because its not their jurisdiction and they just put it back on the tribal shoulders.

Sounds like we know who we have to pester if anything is to be done to these people.

[liv4upoutdoors]

And you wonder why some guys take the law into their own hands. I wonder if the feds would prosecute if we pulled and cut the nets. (oh they can't say anything because they are netting illegally). Not saying we should just saying I'm pretty disgusted.

[YooperTroll]

There are effective ways to fight this. First and foremost, outdoor groups can organize and actively lead boycotts of the casinos and petition the Tribes to prosecute.

Money talks.

[Mike P]

This whole scenario is pretty preposterous, and frustrating to law abiding citizens and defies "common sense". Two totally different sets of rules is outlandish. With no legal result as to what these guys are getting away with simply is unacceptable. This isn't sustenance fishing , which is what the treaties were meant for. My understanding is these fish were sold commercially for cash.

Also, what consequences did the guys who bought this unusually large number of walleye's from these tribal members suffer. Didn't they know something "fishy" was going on. I thought the unusually large number of fish in the commercial markets was what tipped off the DNR wasn't it ? Do the buyers of these fish also get to walk. I really would like an answer

The previous post brings up a good point. Just what casinos does this tribe own, and where are they exactly. Maybe that is the way to go

Any constuctive remedies or thoughts on this

[rockbass]

Good luck with boycotting the casinos. There are more degenerate gamblers in the area then there are fisherman.

[fishmaster]

^^^ you got that right rockbass!!! Everyone bitches and moans about this stuff but drive by any of the casinos and they are full!!!! Not to mention that seems like all of the local stuff is held there now too from Chamber events and other affairs as well as all of the walleye tourney stuff(which to me is the most ironic). If you want the tribes to pay hit them where it hurts!!!

As far as the other stuff goes I still feel like it was the DRN who dropped the ball on this whole deal. If all of this is true(the fish numbers and stuff) why did they only get a couple of hundred pounds? why didn't they catch anyone with any fish? why not prosocute the buyers(as stated above) they were not indians!? The DNR wasted thousands and thousands of dollars on this whole deal for what?

I just don't get it, the DNR either just went about it this way to prosocute the guys in the court of public forum with hope that they would just quite netting(which probably just pissed them off so now they and thier friends will just net more) or they just screwd up the whole investigation and jumped into it without enough evidence to get a conviction. Either way the whole thing is a mess!

[liv4upoutdoors]

More nets will come because noone is held accountable. Absolutely disgusting. The tribe will claim they prosecuted them but the $150 fine the indians pay is over wieghed by the $25000 they got for the fish.

[HANG EM HIGH]

I say support it with a rope!!!! When everything closes up because the tourism is gone where the fishing is, who will take acountablity for that????Because there decision has open the door for all of it to take place now!! What a crying shame!!!

[springfield]

Do you think if it was put on local news, and maybe some write ups in the paper about the boycott and why it’s being suggested? Then you might get more people interested and get the Indians attention. I Doubt it but it sounds like same ole same ole aint gettin it. I cant believe the Tribe would want to piss to many people off, but who knows.

Put out some flyers, bumper stickers, what ever we can do to get it on everyones mind, hey it might do something.

[liv4upoutdoors]

I will gladly send some funds to fight this and maybe help guide our elected officials to do their jobs. I will put a bumper sticker on every vehicle that I own against these damn casinos. We have Asian Carp knocking on our door and the Feds won't deal with either. Damn frustrating. Why is it so hard to do whats right.

[YooperTroll]

I say support it with a rope!!!! When everything closes up because the tourism is gone where the fishing is, who will take acountablity for that????Because there decision has open the door for all of it to take place now!! What a crying shame!!!

The Tribes also rely on tourism...I have to believe their leadership is smart enough to understand that. No fish in the Bay=less tourists=less people going to their casinos.

Sounds like pressure also needs to be put on the Tribal Leadership--with the obvious facts above stated to them clearly.

[rockbass]

The Tribes also rely on tourism...I have to believe their leadership is smart enough to understand that. No fish in the Bay=less tourists=less people going to their casinos.

Sounds like pressure also needs to be put on the Tribal Leadership--with the obvious facts above stated to them clearly.



There are non stop buses coming into the casinos from Escanaba, Gladstone, Rapid River, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin and many many other places. These buses filled with elderly people and their SS checks, and other degenerate gamblers, for some reason I dont think the tribes are too worried. Plus they make more off of hunters in 2 weeks then they do off of fisherman all year. I have a feeling casinos will be around alot longer then the fish will be in Little Bay De Noc, or in any of the Great Lakes for that matter. Sorry to burst your bubble.

[bubblehead]

If you remember history, the way they got Al Capone when they couldn't catch him with the bootleg booze, was Tax Evassion. Maybe we should ALL call the IRS tip line and report the 94,000 lbs of fish at $?? per pound that these "fisherman" didn't report as income. What with late fees, penelies and interest, maybe that would provide some sort of justice.

[rockbass]

If they don't have to follow the fishing laws what makes you think they have to follow tax laws that go along with it?

[springfield]

Rockbass, come on man!!!!! dont shoot all hope down every time we think of something! lol!!

[Walleye Slayer]

I guess this just doesnt surprise me at ALL.....The punishment is VERY needed to them!!!!!!

[slammer]

My ol grampa who spent many a hour out on the hard water would say...
When they catch these bastages they outta cut off their nets and feed em to em!!!!
Granted , he didn't say nets!
Glad he's not around to see this mess and injustice.
Slammer!!!!!