Native Americans Spearing walleyes at the Constantia Fish Hatchery

[chrisw]

Anyone hear anything about this? I just got information from a DEC officer that a bunch of Natives were caught spearing walleyes at the fish hatchery yesterday and the responding officers were told to not issue any violations and allow them to take the fish with them... I was also told there is a protest to take place at the hatchery this weekend. A friend of mine also just told me that it's on Facebook and there is currently more people there spearing? If this is true it makes my blood boil...

 

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[jperch]

There is a discussion and video posted on MFF under the Oneida Lake thread.  From the video it seems the DEC confiscated the walleyes from one native spearfisherman.  I have not seen anything on the local news, seems like it should be a story they would cover.

[wolc123]

I used to love spearing suckers in the local creeks, up until they banned it, about 25 years ago.  We would always wait for that first warm spring rain, to bring them up the creeks.  The last time I went, I got my only double (two big lake-run suckers) with one jab.  The lake-run suckers had a red stripe down the side.  
 

I speared only suckers and one carp.  The carp run came later than the sucker run, and in much lower quantity.  Their scales are like armor, compared to a sucker.

 I remember seeing a few northern pike, while spearing at night with lanterns, but they were very easy to identify and avoid.  I can’t recall ever seeing a walleye or any other fish species.  I mostly speared in Murder creek, in Erie county, but hit the shallows of Tonawanda creek on the Erie/Niagara border a few times.

We would usually bury the suckers under apple trees for fertilizer, but my uncle would grind the meat and make fish patties from it.  I never ate any.  
 

I don’t have a big problem with the native Americans spearing walleyes.  Hopefully, they stay away from the bass.  They probably will, because “bass are not very good eating” according to most folks.  

Edited April 6, 2022 by wolc123

[The_Real_TCIII]

 
I don’t have a big problem with the native Americans spearing walleyes.  Hopefully, they stay away from the bass.  They probably will, because “bass are not very good eating” according to most folks.  


In a hatchery??!


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[mlammerhirt]

 
I don’t have a big problem with the native Americans spearing walleyes.  Hopefully, they stay away from the bass.  They probably will, because “bass are not very good eating” according to most folks.  


In a hatchery??!


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Wolc must not have read the whole post....!

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[chrisw]

So natives should be allowed to decimate a population because they see fit? Our good old DEC seems to be doing very little to nothing about it currently either. This sets an awful precedent. What next? They can deer hunt year round off the reservation with no limits also?

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[chrisw]

I used to love spearing suckers in the local creeks, up until they banned it, about 25 years ago.  We would always wait for that first warm spring rain, to bring them up the creeks.  The last time I went, I got my only double (two big lake-run suckers) with one jab.  The lake-run suckers had a red stripe down the side.  
 
I speared only suckers and one carp.  The carp run came later than the sucker run, and in much lower quantity.  Their scales are like armor, compared to a sucker.
 I remember seeing a few northern pike, while spearing at night with lanterns, but they were very easy to identify and avoid.  I can’t recall ever seeing a walleye or any other fish species.  I mostly speared in Murder creek, in Erie county, but hit the shallows of Tonawanda creek on the Erie/Niagara border a few times.
We would usually bury the suckers under apple trees for fertilizer, but my uncle would grind the meat and make fish patties from it.  I never ate any.  
 
I don’t have a big problem with the native Americans spearing walleyes.  Hopefully, they stay away from the bass.  They probably will, because “bass are not very good eating” according to most folks.  

So again, your version of conservation only matters to the fish you prefer. Sound Environmentalism....

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[Robhuntandfish]

there was legislation out there to allow them to gill net on the lake too but i guess this was suspended for now.  Also Chris i believe on Nation grounds they can hunt anytime they want.  Im wiht you its BS.  The lake is stocked with the money and effort of NYS taxpayers, if they would lilke to patake they can pay their taxes like the rest of us and follow the laws in place. what reason could they have to NEED to do this?  and dont tell me its out of Poverty- the Oneidas own the largest employer and business in this area of the Turning Stone resort and casino . its BS. 

Edited April 7, 2022 by Robhuntandfish

[wolc123]

24 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

there was legislation out there to allow them to gill net on the lake too but i guess this was suspended for now.  Also Chris i believe on Nation grounds they can hunt anytime they want.  Im wiht you its BS.  The lake is stocked with the money and effort of NYS taxpayers, if they would lilke to patake they can pay their taxes like the rest of us and follow the laws in place. what reason could they have to NEED to do this?  and dont tell me its out of Poverty- the Oneidas own the largest employer and business in this area of the Turning Stone resort and casino . its BS. 

It could be poverty, worsened by the current “out of control” inflation, that is driving this.  I don’t think the casino revenue is distributed to all of the native Americans.  Those who are not getting a piece of that action might be driven to use other means of providing for their families.  Is the hatchery on the reservation ?  
 

I would rather see them use the spear than the “square hook” (aka gill net) out on the lake because those don’t discriminate between fish species.

[chrisw]

there was legislation out there to allow them to gill net on the lake too but i guess this was suspended for now.  Also Chris i believe on Nation grounds they can hunt anytime they want.  Im wiht you its BS.  The lake is stocked with the money and effort of NYS taxpayers, if they would lilke to patake they can pay their taxes like the rest of us and follow the laws in place. what reason could they have to NEED to do this?  and dont tell me its out of Poverty- the Oneidas own the largest employer and business in this area of the Turning Stone resort and casino . its BS. 

Exactly! That hatchery is funded by tax dollars, which they don't pay, and licenses, which they don't buy. Yes they can hunt/fish on the reservation at anytime they choose, but if they're allowed to start doing this where does it end?

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[chrisw]

It could be poverty, worsened by the current “out of control” inflation, that is driving this.  I don’t think the casino revenue is distributed to all of the native Americans.  Those who are not getting a piece of that action might be driven to use other means of providing for their families.  Is the hatchery on the reservation ?  
 
I would rather see them use the spear than the “square hook” (aka gill net) out on the lake because those don’t discriminate between fish species.

If it were poverty (which it isn't) they could have discreetly fished for walleyes on the lake and noone would've known the difference probably. Instead, they go to a hatchery feeder creek, with a spear in the daylight to push their luck. This is a test to see how far they can stretch their abuse in my opinion.

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[chrisw]

Here's a response from the OLA...


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[Kmartinson]

Is this on the reservation? If it's on reservation land they can act how they see fit. They have thier own law enforcement and government. 

[chrisw]

Is this on the reservation? If it's on reservation land they can act how they see fit. They have thier own law enforcement and government. 

No. I know they can do as they please on their land, this is not even remotely near their land.

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[Robhuntandfish]

2 hours ago, wolc123 said:

It could be poverty, worsened by the current “out of control” inflation, that is driving this.  I don’t think the casino revenue is distributed to all of the native Americans.  Those who are not getting a piece of that action might be driven to use other means of providing for their families.  Is the hatchery on the reservation ?  
 

I would rather see them use the spear than the “square hook” (aka gill net) out on the lake because those don’t discriminate between fish species.

total BS. Food banks around here and all the area supplies - food is plentiful.  And the only reason they dont get a take from the casino is if they choose not to. They also get preference for all Jobs there.  And the hatchery is not on nation land.

[Farflung]

 

this was a hot topic at our Oneida County sportsmen federation on Monday night. We are very against this. Will be interesting to see how DEC and the Governor handle this. It was Hochul that vetoed the legislation that would have allowed this.

[land 1]

 the people that are doing this are not local they came down from St Regis they want to get ticketed and have a court rule in there favor so they can do it all the time..,,,this has got to stop will really hurt the lakes walleye population. And where does it stop they get away with this and next deer, turkey all game species and fish...not good and really ,,, also as far as "Poverty and doing it for food" they drove from Canada or at least some did per the plates on there trucks,,, thats alot of gas money 

Edited April 7, 2022 by land 1

[Farflung]

St. Regis Mohawks. The area of the hatchery was not part of their ancestral holdings. How do they think they can spear their. This will be interesting from a historical, treaty wording point of view.

[wolc123]

Sounds like the natives are getting restless.  I sure am glad they are not targeting the bass.

[Happy 5-Shot]

I hope this ends…. What would stop them from going to the Salmon River hatchery and spearing trout / salmon out of the brook? 

[chrisw]

Exactly, if they win this battle then no fishery will be safe. The DEC better make the right decision. We won't even get into the hunting side of things yet...

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[Happy 5-Shot]

8 minutes ago, chrisw said:

Exactly, if they win this battle then no fishery will be safe. The DEC better make the right decision. We won't even get into the hunting side of things yet...

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Not good… with the new 5 fish limit

[Robhuntandfish]

Then there's this too,....suspended for now.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.uticaod.com/amp/8907577002

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[wolc123]

The Red man is right, to expect a little from you, America.  

[Kmartinson]

18 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

The Red man is right, to expect a little from you, America.  

Lol, amazing