August 27, 2001

The Miami tribe of Oklahoma has withdrawn a

lawsuit in which it sought 2.6 million acres of private property in Illinois the tribe claimed it received by treaty 200 years ago.

   The Miami Indians filed a motion to dismiss the case outright in U.S. District Court, and Judge J. Phil Gilbert agreed. The tribe sued landowners in 15 east-central Illinois counties last June, saying the land was promised to them forever in a 1805 treaty with the U.S. government. The state

intervened in the case, saying the federal Indian 

Claims Commission long ago rejected the tribe's claims to Illinois land. The state set aside money to help the landowners fight the lawsuit.

Tribe chief Floyd Leonard said the decision to end the lawsuit followed a review of the tribe's legal strategy, which included changing law firms. State leaders had speculated the tribe wanted the land for a casino. Tribe officials denied that claim. Tribe officials promised to continue their legal fight with a new approach. "We want to do it in a way that's going to focus the court and the public's attention on the merits of the case,'' they said.

Canadian Commercial fined

Failed to report and exceeded quotas

PORT DOVER — A commercial fisherman from Port Dover, Ontario, has been fined $4,000 after pleading guilty to five charges under the Ontario Fisheries Regulations. Robert A. Brown, 61, pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to report accurate information on daily catch returns, and to three counts of exceeding his quota of yellow perch. The

charges stem from a MNR investigation in May 2000 into 

Brown’s fishing activities on Lake Erie. Brown was also

assessed $625 in victim’s surcharges and ordered to pay $1,820 to MNR’s special purpose fish and wildlife account as compensation for the 276 kilograms (620 lbs) of fish taken exceeding the quota. The Crown withdrew five similar charges against Robert Brown Fisheries Ltd. Brown appeared in Ontario Court of Justice in Simcoe on Aug.16.

President George  W.  Bush announced his intention to nominate Steven A. Williams as Director of the  USFWS.  The position is subject to confirmation by the U.S. Senate. 

   Williams  is  Sec’y  of  the Kansas Dept of Wildlife and Parks, and has held the position since 1995. Previously,

Williams was Deputy Exec. Director of the Pennsylvania  Game  Commission; Ass’t Director for the  Massachusetts  Div.  of Fisheries and Wildlife; and a wildlife biologist specializing in research and management 

for  white-tailed  deer  for  the  Mass.  Div. of Fisheries and Wildlife.

   Williams, 44,  is a professionally trained wildlife manager who holds a PhD in  Forest  Resources  from PA State U, an MS in biology from the U of North  Dakota, and a BS in Environmental Resource Management from PA State U.  He is a member of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, The  Wildlife  Society,  and  other  professional  and conservation related groups.  By  law,  the  Director  of  the  USFWS must have scientific education and experience in  the principles of fisheries and wildlife management.

The Economics of Fishing

Data from USFWS studies generated every five years show fishing is big business nationwide. U.S. anglers spent $37.8 billion on fishing  in 1996, up almost $10 billion from the 1991 study. Technology has increased, so

has consumer spending on GPS, LCD graphs,  flashers, 

and underwater cameras. But don’t forget those new boats & motors, or rods & reels, line, lures and terminal tackle, as well as $$$ spent on travel; it all adds up to a major economic impact on our economy.

KENOSHA -- Effective July 1, 2001, anglers and commercial fishers must significantly reduce the number of yellow perch they keep from Green Bay to protect dwindling stocks of the species. The Natural Resources Board on June 27, adopted an emergency rule that decreases the daily bag limit from 25 to 10 for sport anglers, and drops from 200,000 lbs to 20,000 lbs  the total annual combined quota for all commercials in Zone 1.

   Those reductions went into effect July 1 and will be in force for 150 days, with the possibility of being renewed, subject to legislative review, twice for periods of up to 60 days each. 

   Mike Staggs, DNR director of fisheries management and habitat protection said, "If we didn’t do something now, recovery could be delayed for years or even decades."

   Staggs says the emergency rule gives immediate protection to that 1998 year class of fish instead of delaying it until the department can complete the normal rule-writing process required for permanent changes. That process can take months, even a year to complete.