Tribal and state Great Lakes fishing deal sent to federal judge for review

A major agreement on how to divvy up fishing rights in parts of the upper Great Lakes has been finalized between four Indian tribes and state and federal fishing regulators and now awaits approval by a federal judge.

The tentative agreement involves contentious issues for tribes and other groups who want to share a valuable resource, as some fish stocks, particularly whitefish and salmon, have declined over the past two decades. The proposed agreement would extend by 24 years a system for monitoring commercial and sport fishing in areas of Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Superior covered by a treaty of 1836.

The Odawa and Ojibwe nations among the Anishinaabeg tribes of the Great Lakes ceded land in that treaty, which made up nearly 40% of Michigan’s territory. The tribes retained their hunting and fishing rights.

Rising tensions between tribal trading teams and sport fishermen led to a fisheries management pact in 1985, which was updated in 2000.

The 2000 Consent Decree was originally scheduled to expire in August 2020, but was extended by federal court order until the parties negotiate a new agreement. The decree emphasized management of Great Lakes whitefish and lake trout.

Now a new pact is on the table.

“We believe this agreement has clear benefits for all parties,” David Caroffino, manager of the tribal coordination unit of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ fisheries division, told the Associated Press.

The tribes that accepted the new deal with the state and…