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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Fond du Lac wraps up netting on Vermilion

Marshall Helmberger
Posted 4/21/21

REGIONAL— It appears members of the Fond du Lac Band have wrapped up their planned spring netting and spearing in northern St. Louis County, having harvested far less than they originally …

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Fond du Lac wraps up netting on Vermilion

Posted

REGIONAL— It appears members of the Fond du Lac Band have wrapped up their planned spring netting and spearing in northern St. Louis County, having harvested far less than they originally declared.
This year, the Fond du Lac increased their declared harvest quota on Vermilion to 10,000 pounds, a sharp increase from the 2,500 pounds they’ve declared in recent years.
But the total harvest after three days of netting was far less than that, at just 625.2 pounds.
Fond du Lac fisheries biologists are careful to catalog all the fish they harvest, to ensure that the harvest does not exceed declared levels.
The Fond du Lac declared their intent to exercise treaty rights on a number of other lakes in the area, including Birch, Bear Island, and Crane, but it appears that no band members actually netted or speared on those lakes this year. Participation from band members can be quite limited at times and that has typically kept actual harvest levels well below the levels declared by the band.