Red Lake Tribe/Hiring Fish Plant Manager

[Mike L]

well, a commercial fish processing plant won't address their immediate problem of 'bangers and tweakers.

[Desperado]

Mike

I agree completely. A tourism based fishery would be much more beneficial to the economy and would gainfully employ way more tribal members than a commercial fishery.

Some explanation of my "spite the face" statement is probably in order.

A significant number of tribal memebers are so opposed to anyone other than themselves ever setting afloat upon their waters that they will pass up (in fact not even consider)any and all tourism opportunities because they can't see past the "STAY OUT" mind set.

[dock]

Northern MN guy here. I work with the Red Lake and White Earth tribes a lot. Lots of great people there, some bad ones too, just like everywhere else.

One thing I've learned, not everyone thinks like you or wants what you want. Cooperation is the only way to make progress.

[upnorth]

This post may be better served in the Political Forum.

By the way they do have a website with spot where you can send letters. If someone wants to express their opinion to the Red Lake Band Members that would be were to do it. Their site is rlnn.com and there is a section opinions.

[Desperado]

I'll grant you that others may not want or value the same things I want or value. And I'm willing to grant them what they want. But, thank God and my parents, a lesson I was taught as a kid and am passing down to my own kids is this: Make a choice and live with it.

If you want our federal government to help you with economic development, I'm perfectly fine with that happening. BUT then ya gotta open up your society to economic development.

If you want to be left alone, I'm fine with that too. BUT then don't come asking us to fix the problems in your closed society.

Anybody watch the comedian Carlos Mencia? This is his whole approach.

"You can have it either way IT'S YOUR CHOICE, But You Can't Have It BOTH Ways"

[gorrilla]

If your quoting Carlos Mencia, I understand your mentality a lot more now...

[roadkingclasic56]

It's hard to fault the Tribe for wanting to create an economy for themselves. We practice the same thing they are contemplating. We want jobs, we have iron ore in the ground, we mine the ore so we have jobs and places to raise our kids. We have trees, we log off the trees so we have jobs, an income and can provide for our families. We don't complain about the millions of acres of prime hunting and fishing that have been destroyed, posted, and restricted to accomplish the goal. The Tribe will take advantage of what is at their disposal to do the same thing for their families that we do. Their opportunities are limited because of their own self-imposed, self-restricting practices (Stay-Out Mentality). Those practices have hindered, harmed, and restricted them more than anyone else. It's not fair to be critical of the things they want to do for themselves when we actively do the same things for ourselves. Maybe some ideas from us would help to make it so they don't need to harvest walleyes commercially for economic growth. A fish farm perhaps, where they raise and harvest fish separate from the sport fishery. They may need technological help to get started but in the long run it would benefit both parties involved here. There must be other ideas out there that would be helpful.

I don't like the idea of commercial netting and such anymore than the next guy. I would like to see URL remain one of the top sport fisheries in the world. But I wouldn't like anyone telling me I can't provide for my family anymore because they don't like what I do. Been there, done that. No fun.

[LABS4ME]

In all the years this has been debated on this forum, one thing I have learned, even form the band's members themselves, is this... They are not going to allow their portion of Red Lake(s) to be opened to non-band memebers any time soon.

The reasons seem to be many. Ask them for yourself and you will find out why. Is there a distinct segment that has the "we own it and you don't - so stay out mentality'? Yes. But that in alone is not the only reasons.

They don't want to see waters that they consider sacred 'trashed' by the hoards of non-band memebers that will flock to the lake. They don't have the infrastructure to handle the masses either. They don't have the funds to put that infrastructure in place. They have a way of life now that they are in no hurry to change. Is there poverty on a grand scale? You bet... but all the banter about economic change and benefits are coming mostly from guys who live in the metro area. As we continue to chase money with our jobs and pay exorbitant prices for housing and other goods, they 'get by' up on there chunk of earth. Does that make their way of living wrong?

While I hope the net's never get set in the lake again, remember this... In years past when they commercially netted the lake, there were band memebers that made a good living doing so. It may not have rivalled your income, or maybe the potential income from sportfishing, but it was a good living to raise your family up there. Once greed took over and illicet nets were set and bumped up quotas were handed down at the fish plant, the lake began to spiral down the drain. If they want to commercailly fish the lake and remain within their quotas (just as we do on our side), the lake will be able to sustain itself and there will be new money breathed back onto the Res. I hope their elders have the insight and wisdom to not let history repeat itself. Hook and line or trap nets with strict quotas will insure endless years of income for them from the lake. Greed and the lure of quick money will seal the deal one more time.

I don't begrudge them their not wanting us to be able to fish their portion of the lake. 3 of the last 4 springs I spent a day at last ice picking up trash on my four wheeler on Upper Red... I wouldn't want that coming to my neighborhood anytime soon. If they want to keep it theirs, so be it. I just hope that we can keep the lines of communication open between the band and our DNR and remember that what each side of the line does on their portion of controlled water impacts the other side equally.

Good Luck!

Ken

[upnorth]

Quote:

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If you want to be left alone, I'm fine with that too. BUT then don't come asking us to fix the problems in your closed society.

---

Has it occurred to you that maybe the DNR approached them about rebuilding the Walleye Population and they agreed to work with the DNR? I don't really know what went down there, but I am pretty sure I wouldn't make accusations that they asked us to fix their problems unless I knew the details of the deal.

I don't really like the idea of comercial netting any more than the next guy, but we may be jumping the gun here figuring that they are going to over fish the lakes again. I mean really, it has only been open to fishing for a year and everyone is jumping on the Gloom and Doom band wagon???

[Desperado]

As far as walleye population recovery goes, sure the DNR was gonna do it anyhow. And as I've previously stated; it doesn't matter how much was State of Minnesota vs how much was Tribal/Federal money; it was all taxpayer money.

That being said however, the statement "If you want to be left alone, I'm fine with that too. BUT then don't come asking us to fix the problems in your closed society" encompasses way more than fisheries management.

As to whether the views espoused by Mr Mencia are contemporary, relevant, well stated, pertinent and challenging to todays PC society. Even if his platform is that of a social satirist rather than the traditional elite platform of most philosophers (a university professorship).

Well we could debate that too, though we'd really be going OFF-TOPIC.

[gorrilla]

I thought this forum was for fishing tips and stories not the sky is falling, the lake is ruined, and taxpayer issues. I just get annoyed with all the biyatchin' going on by people who don't even know half the story.

If people want to keep griping about stuff, I don't think this forum is the place for it, AGAIN... Lets get back to talking about the current bite or cold weather, etc.

[PierBridge]

Well said Labs, Jonny, Kelly, Upnorth.

Here is some more info for those who care it takes a while load so be patient.

RedLake Thread