Babaamaajimowinan (Telling of news in different places)

Ogaakaaning Enterprises: Fisheries Nets Concern

History:

In 1982 the tribe passed a resolution in regards to net size. The net size in Ordinance No. 1-83 states that the "uses or possess a gill net with a mesh of less than 3 1/2 inches extension measure shall be guilty..." The resolution also states, "a gill net with a mesh of less than 3 1/2 inches extension measure is an illegal net."

The reason this was in place was because tribal members went using smaller nets to catch as many walleyes as possible because the lake was being overfished and that was the only way they could get the most fish.

Now:

Our fishery business is using nets larger than 3 1/2 inches. Our nets measure 3 3/4inches and never larger than 4 inches.

The larger nets allow us to catch the right size slot limit fish that bring in the most value to the business.

Using the 3 1/2 inch nets we do catch the 2-4 oz. fillet size walleye which bring very limited value to the business and removes any future value that fish can grow and give up.

What It Means:

If we are unable to use the legal methods available to us to catch and sell the 6-8 and 8-10 oz. fillets it will harm our ability to bring in the profits necessary to give all the fisherman the bonus we want to. That will directly impact over 600 fishermen and women.

We also need to replace our roof on the fisheries and we were planning on using our profits from being able to catch the larger fish with the new larger nets that will become a problem with being able to get our roof fixed. Without a building, we cannot accept fish.

These nets are not harming any of our fishermen or the lake and its resources. In fact, it is helping us to best manage the resource and harvest it at its peak value. It is a sound business and environmental practice.

We need approval from the council to allow us to continue to use the larger nets that follow their own ordinances and rules that are established.

Justin Beaulieu

Chief Executive Office

CC: Darrell Seki, Annette Johnson, Donald Cook

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KVV5CTthl2kkvl2SdrXYlbzKStd-BMFMFqBHsqzhSh0/pub

 

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