Fishing Rights

                I chose a piece from the Native Times written by Alanna Durkin from the Associated Press. The article concerns tribal sovereignty in the state of Maine and disputes over fishing rights.

                The Penobscot tribe and the Passamaquoddie tribe have had representatives in the state of Maine's legislature since 1823 and 1842 respectively ( they were removed from the House for three decades in the middle of the 20th century).  Representatives of the tribes are not permitted to vote in the House, but can vote on committees and introduce bills into legislation. The two tribe representatives gave up their seats in May 2015, stating that they could not continue to be part of a system that held a "paternalistic attitude" towards them. The tribes and the state of Maine had been disagreeing on the use of fishing quotas for several years. More recently, they had been disagreeing on the use of a fishing net, called a fyke.  The state of Maine had issued an emergency ruling earlier in May banning the use of the specialized net.  The Passamaquoddie tribe stated that they will continue to use them regardless of the ruling.  The Governor also rescinded an executive order that told various state agencies and departments to develop policies recognizing the sovereignty of tribes. A spokesperson for the Governor stated that the relationship between the state and the tribes is one of equals, but the lands and resources owned by the tribes continue to be subject to state laws, and that the tribes were not respecting the interests of the state. Upon the tribes representatives leaving the chamber, several lawmakers followed them in support and joined a rally at the Statehouse Courtyard.  The speaker of the House said he was “surprised and concerned  by their decision and pledged to continue to working with the tribes to ensure their voices are heard in the Legislature." He said they would continue to have a place in the House and that he hoped they would return to reclaim their seats. (Durkin 2015)

Durkin, (2015) Native Times. Tribal Representatives Withdraw From Maine Legislature. Retrieved from: http://www.nativetimes.com/index.php/news/politics/11560-tribal-representatives-withdraw-from-maine-legislature

 

 

 Pictures:

Enchantedlearning.com (2001) Maine. Retrieved on 8/6/2015 from: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/maine/

GLEI. (2015) Sampling Fish In Coastal Wetlands. Retrieved on 8/6/15 from: http://glei.nrri.umn.edu/default/fykenet.htm