Special Alert!


Perhaps by now you have heard of the fish spearing incidents that recently occurred in Scriba Creek, adjacent to the Fish Hatchery. The Oneida Lake Association Directors have been monitoring the situation closely from the very beginning. Although we are still gathering information about these incidents, we want to carefully review with you the facts we have learned.

On Saturday(4/2), two individuals who identified themselves as Native Americans were spearing the walleyes that were congregating in Scriba Creek, just a few yards upstream from the Hatchery. DEC Environmental Conservation Officers quickly showed up and issued tickets, as well as confiscated the fish.

On Tuesday (4/5), a larger group came to the creek. Six or seven individuals were in the water taking walleye with spears, while at least that many individuals were also waiting on the stream bank. This time, several state troopers as well as DEC ECOs arrived. After considerable discussion at the scene, the officers contacted their superiors in Albany. The leadership in Albany then instructed the officers at the scene to let the individuals go, without issuing any tickets. The Albany leadership is trying to quickly develop a policy to deal with these issues.

The OLA Board is extremely concerned about this practice. Clearly, spearing unlimited walleyes during the closed season while they are spawning, in the very shadow of the Hatchery, is a serious threat to the health and welfare of the species.

The Board of Directors certainly stands in strong opposition to this practice. I can assure you that we have already contacted officials at DEC, both in the law enforcement division and those in policy making positions, voicing our opposition. In fact, just hours ago I had a conversation with a high ranking DEC official who assures me that they are working on "a path forward" to deal with issues such as these. The present course for the OLA is to remain keenly vigilant regarding the facts. Your Board leadership will stay in very frequent contact with DEC as their policies are developed. In my phone conversations with them, I emphasized the importance of transparency during these critical discussions. I also made a formal request to have the OLA actively participate in any discussion that directly concerns Oneida Lake and its tributaries. Our contact at DEC states that "We are handling this very complex situation, involving representatives from the Nations. We also have the utmost care for the Fishery."

We have also stated to DEC leadership that our issue is NOT with First Nation members. Rather, we remain steadfastly opposed to harvest practices (by any individual, group, or nation) that negatively affect the health and welfare of the fishery. We hope you share this same belief.

The OLA Board will meet on Monday (4/11) to continue our discussions of this issue. We will keep you, our valued members, up-to-date as substantive information becomes available.
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About time the Haudenosaunee confederacy started exercising their tribal rights
as the indigenous people of what is now New York State.

The Oneida and Onondaga bands supported the fledgling United States
government in both the War for Independence & War of 1812
against the British and the U.S. rewarded both bands by screwing
them over and taking their territories through illegal treaties.

Good for them.

The State of New York can spare a few walleye for god sake !!!

walleyed

Lock em up and throw away the key. Spearing fish at their spawning creeks. It starts with a few fish and where does it end. Spears thousands? Who knows how far they'll take it.

It's about more than a few fish.

I disagree. In this day and age native americans should know better. I saw how "paddling" walleyes spawning in the tributaries of lake Champlain ruined that fishery.

Bob, I am just saying all I have to do is braid my hair and weld up a spear...

I know the story of Polly Cooper (an Oneida woman) bringing dried corn to the soldiers at Valley Forge, and Martha Washington gifting her a Persian shawl for her efforts...

Do they have treaty rights to allow them to spear fish?

I'd trust Ray Halbritter and the Oneida Nation
to do a better job managing the walleye resource
in Oneida Lake than the New York State Dept.
of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Fisheries.

My mouth waters for some Indian speared walleye fillets !!

walleyed

What we have are moving targets...But I am sure Albany is trying to figure it out...

Isn't Ray Onondaga Nation??

Nope,

Ray is the Oneida Nation Representative,
and the Havard educated master mind behind
the Turning Stone Casino complex.

walleyed

^^^^^Are you sure his Mother wasn't Onondaga???

She may have been but that doesn't change the fact that
Ray Halbritter is head-Injun-whats-in-charge of the ONEIDA Nation.

walleyed

Yes Bob he is the New York Oneida Nation Representative, but he is Onondaga as his Mother was...I just like saying it and some Shenendoah's like hearing it when I do...

What do their Treaties from 1800's say. Chippewa in Northern WI they can hunt fish and gather as long as the sun rises and the sun sets. No limitations. Supreme court upheld the treaties.

I know of at least four treaties, but today it's probably about the most recent Land Claim that covers this... One item of interest could be, that these guys are Wisconsin Oneidas...

Good luck stopping it. Our experience in Wisconsin is that it will not stop at just a few walleyes.

If I could post a map it is really interesteting, Remember teh Chippewa are not originally from WI. Annishinnabe are all the way north of Red Lake Ontario into NW Mn, and Michigan. How far will this go will be interesting. I teach WI Treaty rights as required by law in my Civics class.

I wonder how it would work out for a bunch of non natives to go spearing on tribal gronds . Or better yet for this same bunch of natives to go spearing on the Senaca lands on the river in Fredonia NY .

Nation within a nation.