I can give you alot of reasons that the treaty shouldnt stand but I will limit it to a few. When it was written the population of this country was approximately one/fifth of what it is now. The fish population was probably a hundred times what it is now. When these proposals were made people were subsisting off of the fish and game not exploiting it to prove a point. There were no casinos to provide a huge source of alternate income for people who were treated badly and needed to be protected. There was limited international shippping and they used rocks for ballast not water that contaminated the great lakes system with viruses and invasive species. Back then the great lakes was not on the verge of ecological imbalance and collapse, there were not sophisticated methods and equipment to rapidize the harvest of fish. Basically what we are doing is allowing hi-tech harvesting of fish based on a treaty that could never have forseen such a rapid increase in harvest. the killing of every fish and game animal during the year exponentially hastens the decrease and eventually depletion of that species not to mention incidental kill and waste. Poachers are bad enough, legalizing it is ridiculous. Ultimatley this decision is based on emotion and not science yet another nail in the coffin of the great lakes basin ecosystem, how sad.
Kevin

I think the average Indian should be allowed to harvest what ever his family can eat and no more. No licenses no restrictions on harvest method. But the sale of meat and or gamefish should be illegal.

So Im saying this ,an Indian family should be allowed to shoot a couple of deer and catch as much fish as it can consume without any licenses. Forming corporations that rape the resource is wrong and should not be allowed by anyone unless we are talking about invasive species like the Asian Carp. I have no problem with an Indian who wishes to live like they did before the treaty. They hunted and fished and fed thier families. This is where the line should be drawn. Kingfisher

Poppy-

Good point. I am equally if not more disgusted by the poaching and the five day a week keeping their limit fisherman tht inhabit this state, someone somewhere has to decide to let a few go before this gets any better. That and we need to train comorants to only eat gobies, then we have a plan… Thanks for your input.
Kevin

"Indians officially would be granted privileges nonnative Michiganders don't have"

Muskiediver – What you call granted privileges is actually maintaining our right to fish. Many comments such as yours are stated without any background information. Land was given in exchange for hunting and fishing rights by the 1836 treaty. There is a reason why the state does not go to federal court. In my opinion, more rights would be retained (not granted as you put it) if Indians did go to federal court. Refer to landmark cases in Minnesota and Wisconsin who did not have a consent decree and went straight to federal court (Indians won). These are not special rights, we already had them. They were in exchange for millions of acres that your ancestors live on, and that you live on today. I think it’s a very small price to pay, considering it is well known Indians were ripped off when they signed treaties (in many cases were done by force).

"That is a crock of *hit. With those rules enforced you might as well give up fishing."

Muskiediver – These new rules will not ruin the fishery as your statement implies. We Indians have more rights now, than we will after the decree is signed. I come from one of the largest tribes in Michigan and guess what? Only a fraction actually fish.

Poppy "Yes, I agree, on paper its scary, but if you really look into the science and if you compare this agreement to the federal law suits that occurred in Wisconsin and Minnesota you'll understand and be happy with what the State negotiated."

Muskiediver – One of the most accurate statements made here. It is true.

cyberlunge "That and we need to train comorants to only eat gobies, then we have a plan…"

Muskiediver – Yes, there are other things to be more concerned with that really actually affect your muskie fishing. Comorants, pollution, VHS, water levels etc..

Let’s get back to fishing. Indians don’t have special rights. They have retained their rights. Remember this the next time you read an article. We were never granted these rights, we always had them. They are payment for the land we all live on.

And I do catch and release muskies. Does that surprise anyone?

Also Indians help stock the lakes. Does that surprise anyone?

This topic should be re titled to say:
Indian hunting rules maintained through consent decree

Instead of:
Special Indian hunting rules OK'd

It's like history books. When the Indians won it is written as a massacre, when the calvary won it was listed as a battle. Does anyone see my point?

" horrible poachers and resource wasters, it has nothing to do with their affiliation."

Muskiediver – you said it. There are good and bad people every where. If they are going over their limit, report them to their tribal police. Thankfully I don't see this often in my tribe (actually never). We are pretty respectful of nature, and when and if we do see someone abusing nature we let them know and correct them. We are trying to teach more of our own hunters and fisherman some traditional skills so when they do go out, they are respectful of what they take. Our own natural laws will prevent any abuse. We are not about abusing the land. We are keepers of the land. Always have been, always will be. When I see garbage out on the lake or nearby it, I always pick it up and throw it away. I see beer cans floating; I pick it up and throw it away. I believe we all have a responsibility for the land. I believe regardless of our race, we all need to work towards maintaining the land, not only for ourselves but more importantly our children. I think catch and release is a good thing and helps out our fishery. Nothing irks me more when someone catches a fish, kills it and does not eat eat. That is a waste, and I have seen this many times. That is not being respectful to the earth.

I have read what was agreed to in the Settlement; and I agree that treaties should be observed, but…

Michigan (and I am not from your lovely state) is quite a different place than it was in 1836.

When the Europeans came to North America the Indians were–literally–in the stone age of development as a people. They hadn't even invented bronze. Indians of today, and I have to think of yesteryear as well, profit by living in a modern society predicated upon cooperation, mutual rights and mutual obligations.

On their territorial reservations, let the Indians do what they want vis-a-vis hunting and fishing. On land and water under the jurisdicton of the state or the United States, they should be bound by the same rules as everybody else.

P.S. Spearing game fish seems barbaric.