Here is “A 13,000-year journey leads to a breaking point.”
An earlier profile is here.
fisheries
Article on Maine Fisheries and the Passamaquoddy
Here.
For centuries, the Passamaquoddy people of Maine have faced a violation of their inherent rights as Indigenous Peoples. They have been repeatedly displaced from their original lands by European settlers since the 16th century, eventually limited to their current reservation in eastern Washington County, Maine. Now their fishing rights —an intrinsic part of Passamaquoddy culture and sustenance —are threatened, under the ironic pretext of equal protection for state fishermen. At issue are two pieces of legislation, both in conflict with the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act and the Maine Implementing Act. The Passamaquoddy refused to comply with LD-451, a law that limited the tribe to issuing just 200 elver licenses in 2013, and this year’s LD-1625, which requires state fishery officials to approve each individual tribal elver license in writing. The tribe has been in discussion with the state since January on ways the Passamaquoddy can maintain its cultural identity throughout the fishing season “because our fishery is based on culture, conservation, and preservation of the eel,” says Passamaquoddy Tribal Councilman Newell Lewey.
Michigan Tech Dissertation on Tribal-State Fishery Co-Management
Here.
Preface
Goals and objectives
The research goals were to assess and describe characteristics of a multi-cultural fishery co-management arrangement of state and tribal organizations in Michigan in order to provide information and recommendations to enhance the institutional
relationship. Information was collected through interview data and quantitative analysis of agency work plans of the Bay Mills Indian Community, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and the State of Michigan.
Objectives Included:
1. Determine extent of agency understanding for each other’s management priorities and knowledge systems used for guiding fishery management decisions and how they may influence views on the value of science in fishery management, and
suggest strategies for navigating multi-cultural institution building (Chapter 2).
2. Present how different participant values and perspectives shape priorities of biological assessments and restoration activities, identify and assess common and exclusive priorities and develop recommendations for collaboration (Chapter 3).
3. Describes how agency participants value collaboration, what barriers exist for successful collaboration and how an ideal relationship could be formed and function (Chapter 4).
Canadian Judge Grants First Nations Injunction Request Over Opening Fisheries
Coverage here.
B.C. First Nations won a major victory Friday when a Federal Court judge granted an injunction blocking the opening this year of a herring fishery on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
The decision came after an internal memo revealed Fisheries Minister Gail Shea overruled recommendations of scientists in her own department.
If anyone has a copy of the injunction, we’d like to post it.
Leonard Masten on why PacifiCorp should remove its Klamath River Dams
Here.
California Network of Marine Reserves Now Complete
The article from the LA Times, here, describes how the last section, which just became official today, required an agreement with tribes, fishers, and others.
Study of Nez Perce Hatchery Cause for Optimism
Here’s a news article on a recently completed study of a Nez Perce hatchery project. The results suggest that hatcheries may help restore natural runs in some cases, particularly when the genetics of the hatchery fish match those of local wild fish.
Center for Environmental Law & Policy to Honor Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
The event will be on June 13 in Seattle. More information is here. Charles Wilkinson will be speaking.
Turtle Talk 