Piles Of Fish Carcasses Found Near Lake Mille Lacs

[Mayfly]

(WCCO)

http://wcco.com/local/fish.carcasses.found.2.1633656.html

Just a short drive east from the placid waters of Lake Mille Lacs, a controversial spring fishing season is being rekindled.

Staring down at piles and piles of rotting fish carcasses, area landowner Dennis Tenhoff shakes his head in disbelief.

"I'm sure it's the regular netters," Tenhoff said, suspecting those taking part in the annual fish harvest by Native Americans. On Tuesday, Tenhoff drove past his hay field just off State Highway 47 and found the disturbing sight.

Thirty feet from a sign warning against hunting and trespassing, Tenhoff discovered several large piles of decaying fish entrails. The piles are clearly blocking access to his field and are in plain sight of passing motorists.

"You would think they'd go somewhere and dump them in the woods where you couldn't see," he said. "But right here, where you drive by and see it right away?"

There are literally, hundreds and hundreds of carcasses of walleye, northern pike and suckers dumped onto his land. Most of the fish were filleted, however a few of the northern pike and suckers appear untouched.

Tenhoff contacted the Department of Natural Resources to report the dumping. State conservation officers visited the site Wednesday afternoon to begin their investigation for those responsible.

Conservation officers admit that finding the dumpers will be tough. However, due to the nearby native spearing and netting activity, there's good evidence of where to start.

"It pretty much narrows it down to tribal netting," said Lt. Rita Frenzel.

She is the DNR's district enforcement supervisor and among the officers who visited the scene. While it is possible the fish were dumped by non-native poachers, it is highly unlikely.

Lt. Frenzel said the investigation may come down to tribal wardens matching up the size of carcasses to compare with fish recorded by Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife biologists at the boat landings.

But the whole case is rekindling emotions among non-native anglers and area landowners. Back when tribal netting and spearing was first being challenged by the state, Lake Mille Lacs boat landings were alive with protesters. It took a 1999 Supreme Court ruling affirming Native American treaty rights to quiet the controversy.

Its feared revelations, such as this, will only rekindle the ill will and resentment.

Attempts to contact the Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa's natural resources commissioner were unsuccessful. A tribal game warden would not comment on the alleged dumping.

But the DNR's Lt. Frenzel said, "It certainly does send the wrong message and it makes people unhappy."

Frenzel said her officers will turn the matter over to tribal wardens for possible prosecution. If those responsible can be held accountable, they would likely be charged with misdemeanor littering and wanton waste of resources, for disposing of whole fish.

But to area landowners, like Tenhoff, the annual fish harvest has been a bitter pill to accept and scenes like this will only reinforce his distaste.

"This isn't part of it," Tenoff said, looking down in disgust. "This shouldn't be part of it."

[Lee Borgersen]

How do you defend this?

[attachment deleted by admin]

[MNBucKKiller]

thats sick...there is no excuse for that at all

[boogityn]

WOW, nothing good will come out of my mouth on this one, I'll leave it at WOW!

[snow]

How about that huh? Can you say in your face!  what does that second picture ressemble? Hmmm,and right off a country road to boot.

[bluewavexx]

Its pisses me off to wisonsin indians mille lacs was done a week ago. I sense some antagonism as nets were stolen and people lit fireworks. Please keep in mind those who did this dont represent the people that do live here and do this in a respectful manner.

[Randy Kaar]

I appreciate your input on thie bluewave, Always good to hear both sides.

randy

[DDSBYDAY]

    The fish looked like the ones I caught and cleaned legally in my life.  There just are a whole bunch more.  I usually just bury the remains so the coons can dig them up that very same night.  This was a message sent.  The netting is legal for some.  Dumping on private property is not.  Cutting legally set nets is sending a message.   There are Nut Jobs on both sides.  I would say the wanton waste from the net cutters is worse than the dumping because at least some of the fish was used.   If you are unhappy with the situation work to change it.  Sending messages like cutting nets and dumping remains only inflame the angers of the uninformed.

[Woody]

   The fish looked like the ones I caught and cleaned legally in my life.  There just are a whole bunch more.  I usually just bury the remains so the coons can dig them up that very same night.  This was a message sent.  The netting is legal for some.  Dumping on private property is not.  Cutting legally set nets is sending a message.   There are Nut Jobs on both sides.  I would say the wanton waste from the net cutters is worse than the dumping because at least some of the fish was used.   If you are unhappy with the situation work to change it.  Sending messages like cutting nets and dumping remains only inflame the angers of the uninformed.

[crappie castle]

talked with alot of natives tonight and they are pissed off and know this had to be the work of wisc. natives because they dont live here or care....they also nothing will be done to the people who did it.
they all agree that it makes them all look bad and will stir the pot again to sometjing that had just settled down. I haope and so do they that when they catch the people they loss all there right to ever net again

[schwinger]

   The fish looked like the ones I caught and cleaned legally in my life.  There just are a whole bunch more.  I usually just bury the remains so the coons can dig them up that very same night.  This was a message sent.  The netting is legal for some.  Dumping on private property is not.  Cutting legally set nets is sending a message.   There are Nut Jobs on both sides.  I would say the wanton waste from the net cutters is worse than the dumping because at least some of the fish was used.   If you are unhappy with the situation work to change it.  Sending messages like cutting nets and dumping remains only inflame the angers of the uninformed.

This is probably the best post in this thread.

[sandmannd]

I agree with CC that it makes them all look bad. I have read a lot of bluewavexx posts on this subject as well. My take is that it doesn't matter which tribe it is or where they are from, the majority of people see them as netters, plain and simple. If you want to do something to clean up the image of netting or try to get it seen in a positive light, then YOU are the ones that have got to do something. They are untouchable by us anglers, you can't even get to the ramps they are netting at. In the article I posted below, it says they will be tried in Tribal court. Wahoo, so the folks that get the meat off these fish are the ones trying these scum, what will happen? 

Tuesday evening, a neighboring landowner of Dennis and Ruby Tenhoff of rural Isle, Minn., knocked on their door. "So, what do you think of the fish?'' the neighbor asked.

"What fish?'' Ruby Tenhoff responded.

"The fish dumped on your property.''

So began an embarrassment to the eight Chippewa bands who have netted Mille Lacs this spring -- an embarrassment perhaps felt most keenly by Mille Lacs band members, the only ones to live on, or even near, Lake Mille Lacs.

The fish the neighbor referred to included hundreds of filleted walleye carcasses.

The dumping on the Renhoff's property is one of three being investigated by wardens of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC), as well as Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officers.

A second dumping of walleye and northern carcasses occurred along a rural Mille Lacs-area road this week, while a third mess of cleaned fish, along with 23 whole northern pike weighing about 90 pounds, was found in a resort dumpster.

The offenders, if caught, will be charged in their respective tribal courts.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also could bring littering charges, said conservation officer Mike Lee, who patrols the Mille Lacs area.

It's unlikely Mille Lacs band members are involved, people close to the case say. Not only do they have fish-carcass disposal facilities on their reservation, they reached their walleye quota quickly this spring, ending their harvest after taking 24,428 pounds of their 27,000-pound limit.

"The Mille Lacs band is very upset about the dumped fish carcasses,'' said John Dunkley, the Mille Lacs band's acting DNR commissioner. "Littering and wasting goes against our tradition.''

The offenders, if caught, should be prosecuted and punished, he said Thursday.

Fond du Lac -- the only other Minnesota band of the eight that net Mille Lacs -- similarly had reached its quota soon after netting began and had left the area by Sunday.

The other six Chippewa bands are from Wisconsin.

Mille Lacs walleyes are netted by the bands in spring when the fish gather in shallows to spawn. Nets this spring generally were set in 3 to 5 feet of water. The nets are 100 feet long, 4 feet tall and usually have mesh sizes of 1¾ inch.

The average size of the walleyes caught in the nets is just over 2 pounds, according to GLIFWC biologists. But on Tuesday morning, many walleyes in the 3- and 4-pound range were seen taken from tribal nets.

The eight bands started netting Mille Lacs after a 1999 U.S. Supreme Court decision affirming their hunting, fishing and gathering rights in a 12-county region of east-central Minnesota that includes the big lake.

The bands' Mille Lacs walleye quota this spring is 132,500 pounds, the highest since the state lost its case in the Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling.

Sport anglers, meanwhile, will be allowed just over 400,000 pounds of walleyes this year, but generally will be restricted to keeping only walleyes less than 18 inches, weighing about 1 1/2 pounds.

Hook-and-line fishing on Mille Lacs last summer was poor, with anglers harvesting only 141,000 pounds of their 414,500-pound quota. Walleyes kept by anglers last year generally also had to be less than 18 inches.

Lee, the state DNR officer, said he responded this week when called by McQuoid's Inn Resort on Mille Lacs, where 23 whole northern pike were found in a dumpster along with hundreds of walleye carcasses.

Asked how he removed the fish from the dumpster, Lee said, "I climbed in and dug them out. I'm a former police officer. I've climbed into dumpsters for worse reasons.''

Whole fish can never be dumped, a wanton waste violation according to both state and tribal law.

Authority over the Chippewa netters at Mille Lacs in spring in almost all instances falls to the GLIFWC wardens. Even Mille Lacs band conservation officers -- who are given high marks by their Minnesota state DNR counterparts -- take a back seat.

I've stayed quite on this but I'll add this and if it pisses some off, don't care as it doesn't seem they care much about their image in my eyes anyway. I didn't post early cause I kept hearing how they were counting fishing and blah blah freakin blah. Well looky what happened just like clock work.

I was brought up to believe Native Americans were a proud people with proud heritage who cared for the land and water. What I see here are folks who could give a rats behind about the system and are digging food out and wasting it. 200 years ago when the treaty was made were there gill nets and power boats? Maybe we need to go back and rethink this. IF the Mille Lacs band is as pissed as you say about those who have done this, then it's on YOU to do something about it. It reflects bad on ALL tribes. I could give two (you know whats) about which band did this. All I know is there were netters that did this and our gov't can do nothing. It's on the Tribes to take care of these actions. Until they do they will be looked at negatively for raping the waters and wasting what's in it.

[crappie castle]

  you are right they have to take care of this ....but they wont . They have a treaty with the us government just like alot of countries do, and the president can break it with a sign of a pen just like they do with everyone else. But so far they wont do that. We shouldnt have a nation inside a nation. We all live in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and all should have the same rights but we dont. When if ever will this change. When we get a President with a set of balls?  Sorry but this is the way I feel. Equal for everyone and welcome to the US now speak English.

[snow]

Quote from CC; "Equal for everyone and welcome to the US now speak English."   O/T Amen brother,we had a gathering of non-english folks park on a road near my house and hike to a little private pond surrounded by houses weekend,30 of them to be exact,seemed we had a language barrier until the sheriff showed up,but CC you are right speak and read english,can't figure out why we sell licenses to folks that can't speak english?

Tim

[sandmannd]

I guess I wouldn't have as big a problem with the netting IF I didn't see these pictures every year of waste!! It's absolutely disgusting and appalling.

I agree with you CC that we need to stop having this nation inside a nation. You want racism gone, hard truth is it never will be because there are to many ignorant asses out there. BUT, a certain people (And this doesn't just mean Native Americans) cannot segregate themselves, want special rights and then tell us we are racist because we disagree. IF we were all equal, then we ALL would have the same laws. Is that not the United States?

[Benny]

Well Lets take a minute to find out what we and the Mille Lacs natives can do together to stop the Wisconsin bands from coming here.

Also, how far are the ML natives willing to go to stop them?

I really don't believe any one would care if a few Mille lacs band members want to net for a week or two, so long as they are making use of the fish.

But what can we do to get the treaty revised for just the Minnesota and or Mille lacs band natives are allowed to net here???

Sure we can call and write the legislature, but those crooks never seem to care unless it means money for them.

How about a web site set up with a pertition to sign to change it??

Maybe try to get the other sportsmans organizations to back a treaty revision and get the Minnesota natives on board with some revision that will work for them as well?

It does seem to fall mainly on the natives to correct this because for the rest of us anglers it will be almost imposible to get anything heard.

Thanks, Benny

[Woody]

Right on Benny! 

[bluewavexx]

I understand it isn't the first time Indians have been judged collectively.

[sandmannd]

Unfortunately ALL people tend to get judged collectively Bluewavexx. All I'm saying is that Native Americans are protected for this from our laws. So it is up to the Tribes to make sure this is handled and those at fault are punished. If you want to make a more positive light on this, that's what has to happen IMO.

[spear foot 1]

I have no problem with the mille lacs tribe netting for a week or 2  but the ones from wiscosin  I dont agree with coming in and taking fish. Doesnt wiscosin have walleyes.

[snow]

Spear foot,

FYI,This all started in wisc around 1990,you would need to go back in the archives to read  on it,I was there and it was'nt pretty at the landings,that is why we see all the protection here during the netting.

Fast forward today,20 years later,the damage has been done across the treaty area throughout wisconsin,at one time some of the best walleye lakes have strick sport angler regulations,yellow lake for example has a 17" to 26" protected slot and a (1) daily limit,other lakes in the area have the same,so you see,the hand writting is on the wall,history willl repeat itself in our lifetime if this continues,but what do the visiting states care,it makes our tribe look bad,they are discussed as much as we are about this,sadly nothing will be done unless concerned folks keep the heat on and not just for a couple of weeks in the spring.

I'm also curious what will become of URL now that their commerical fishery has reopened and the lake is health again after 10 years of being closed to fishing~

[boogityn]

        I have an idea, throw that peice of crap treaty out. this is 2010. what happened 200 years ago is already done. time for the redman to live under the same laws the rest of us do. This is the only true fix for this problem.

[MNBucKKiller]

        I have an idea, throw that peice of crap treaty out. this is 2010. what happened 200 years ago is already done. time for the redman to live under the same laws the rest of us do. This is the only true fix for this problem.

I'm with ya

[smokey bear]

I have an idea, throw that peice of crap treaty out. this is 2010. what happened 200 years ago is already done. time for the redman to live under the same laws the rest of us do

be careful what you wish for, these are so called outdated rights we are talking about. the 2nd amendment is also what some call a outdated right.

scary grounds  just my 2 cents worth.

[Bruce B]

I think anyone that fishes and lives in MN should head to one of the public landings in the spring after the ice is out. I would suggest the Cedar Creek landing on the East side.
I have witnessed it myself and left that day sickened by the site.
Walleyes that our Tax dollars have protected in this State lay scattered in the parking lot baking in the 70 degree sun, large, small, Norhterns, Bass it didn't matter, hundreds of them. They then were tossed in the back of vans(all with Wis. plates) on that day. No coolers, No ice, it was hard to imagine those fish going back to Wisconsin and still being fresh enough to eat.
More people of this state should see this. There is no equality in that.
Yes,we in this equal and free state need things to change.

[snow]

Bruce,

We have  a meeting coming up late this month after the session is over with at least one state senator and maybe more once they see the petition we have cooking with 1000's of names of concerned folks of our state in regards to this issue,our goal is to get this thing back to court,we understand what heritage is and gathering and are not trying to eliminate it,just the commercial part of it from outside our state border.

Shoot me a PM if you would like more info~ or anyone else.