Home The News North East News St. Regis Mohawks adopt state fishing regulations

St. Regis Mohawks adopt state fishing regulations

Written by Administrator

Friday, 02 April 2010

St. Regis Mohawks adopt state fishing regulations By LORI SHULL TIMES STAFF WRITER THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2010 HOGANSBURG — The St. Regis Mohawk tribe is starting to watch just who is taking fish from its portion of the St. Lawrence River. The tribe has received complaints from residents that non-natives are taking too many fish from the river, and in response, the Tribal Council adopted the state Department of Environmental Conservation's fishing regulations. "It places seasonal and species restrictions for non-natives on the reserve," said Anthony M. David, water resources program manager for the tribal environment division. "We have no regulations in place for natives." The resolution creates seasons for each fish species, as well as placing limits on what size of fish can be taken and how many can be removed from the river. But it affects only non-natives. There are no limitations in place for Mohawks. "Tribal members have a right, a tribal right, to fish on the reservation for subsistence," said David T. Staddon, tribal public information officer. "The basic difference is Indian people have an inherent right to fish on their lands. For people who reside in the state, it's a privilege granted to them by the state." Since the Akwesasne reservation is sovereign territory, the policies and procedures of the DEC, and other state organizations, have no impact on the tribal government unless the council adopts them. Before this month, the tribe had no formal policies in place to regulate fishing. There are recommendations in place about how many fish people, both native and non-native, should eat from the river, both to maintain populations and because of the high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls and mercury in the river. But they are not laws, Mr. Staddon said. The resolution came about because tribal fishermen were complaining about non-natives taking too many fish. "What people were noticing was that non-natives were taking tribal resources without regard for any time-sensitive periods, like spawning," Mr. David said. "They weren't observing any visual limits that we could tell. They pretty much saw it as a free-for-all. They told their friends if it's out of season to take a walleye, you can come to the reserve and take all you want." There are also incidents of abuse among Mohawks. But creating regulations to prevent them among tribal members may be difficult, since fishing year-round is a tradition. "Not all of them, but a lot of the men I talk to try to not take as many females," Mr. David said. "We are all aware of some isolated incidents of abuse. We want to protect not only the biology of the fisheries but also our rights as Mohawk people." The policy comes as an interim measure while the tribe develops a comprehensive fish and wildlife regulation and management plan. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded almost $200,000 to the tribe in February to develop the plan, which could take three years to complete. When that plan is finalized, laws may be put into place to regulate fishing for everyone, including tribal members. However, that decision can be made only with input from the community, Mr. David said. http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20100401/NEWS05/304019973

 

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