Chippewa spearing limits

[Lee Borgersen]

 Wisconsin Chippewa tribes declare spearing limits on northern lakes.
 
March 19, 2014

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The six bands of Chippewa tribes in northern Wisconsin have declared intentions to spear a record 63,488 walleyes during the 2014 off-reservation harvest, according to officials with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The tribes submitted their plans to the state Department of Natural Resources over the weekend.

State officials are reviewing the tribes' declarations and formulating a response, said DNR fisheries director Mike Staggs.

In most years, the agency has reacted by lowering bag limits for sport fishermen. This year, under authority granted Tuesday by the Natural Resources Board, the DNR may "explore alternative methods for managing walleye in the ceded territory," according to an agency statement.

Staggs said possible options include changes to size limits, season length or tackle restrictions. He stressed that no decision had been made.

"We continue to think about ways to best respect the tribal fishery and provide opportunity for sport anglers," Staggs said.

The tribes' 2014 declarations are spread over 589 lakes in the ceded territory, about the northern third of Wisconsin. In addition to walleyes, it includes 1,799 muskies.

The actual walleye harvest is typically about half of the declaration. In 2013, for example, the tribes declared 59,399 walleyes and harvested 28,447, according to commission data. The 2013 musky declaration was 1,834 and the harvest was 274.

The 2014 declarations by band were:

■ Bad River 6,418

■ Lac Courte Oreilles 6,202

■ Lac du Flambeau 27,868

■ Mole Lake 14,614

■ Red Cliff 2,559

■ St. Croix 5,827.

Only the St. Croix declaration is lower than in 2013.

In all, the 2014 declarations are 5,089 walleyes higher than 2013.

The 1983 Voigt case affirmed the right of the Chippewa tribes to hunt, fish and gather in the ceded territory. Since the late 1980s, the tribes have exercised their right to take walleyes and other fish by spearing.

The state adjusts bag limits in an effort to keep the combined tribal and sport harvest within a "safe limit" on each water.

The ceded territory includes 919 walleye lakes and 623 musky lakes.

After 2013 tribal declarations, the DNR reduced daily sport bag limits to one walleye on 197 lakes and two walleyes on 331 lakes. The standard daily bag limit is five walleyes.

The annual harvest by the tribes is a fraction of the total harvest from lakes in the ceded territory.

According to DNR estimates, 260,000 to 300,000 walleyes were harvested each year (2008-'12) by sport anglers from lakes declared in the ceded territory.

Staggs said DNR staff was working through the declarations, but it wasn't known when the department would announce possible regulation changes.