By Clare Fitz — CERA Report Member Update — December 2019

The economy of and surrounding Mille Lacs Lake, located 100 miles north of Minneapolis-St Paul, whose economy for many many years has been based on Walleye fishing and the tourism built around it, once known as the Walleye Capitol of the World, is being destroyed. Why?

Perhaps a little history is in order because I continue to believe that what we face at Mille Lacs is basically a land grab and with the land goes jurisdiction and power. And while on the surface it appears that the Indian tribes are the culprit, we have been able to prove through archival research that the culprit is actually the federal government […]

The Results of PERM’s Legal Fund (Fall) Raffle was held Monday, December 9, at 8 pm. Winners are listed below. We very much appreciate your continued support. Follow the efforts you are supporting by returning to this website, perm.org. Also, follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/perm.org) Please “Like” and “Share” when you visit to really help us get the word out. The Winners:
……… ……..1  Browning X Bolt Stalker 30-06 Sprg…………..Joseph P. ………..Grand Rapids
………. …….2  Ruger American 308 Win Bolt…………………..Matt P. ……………Maple Grove
…….. ………3  Ruger American 30-06 Win Bolt……………….Allen G. …………..Golden Valley
….. …………4  Winchester SXP Black Shadow 12 ga…………Katie C. …………..Hugo — ‘Read More’ below for full list

Joe Fellegy highlights obvious questions in his latest article, Mille Lacs news cycle breaks records, raises questions, Outdoor News, November 15, 2019. Many of these are questions that get buried in the well-organized agendas at MLFAC meetings that are forever wrestling with the “co-management” of the Mille Lacs fishery. These are the same questions I’ve heard (or recognized from between the lines) time and again at the MLFAC meetings I have attended.

High on the list is the “endless uncertainty” borne by the Mille Lacs angling community. That’s the biggest takeaway after hearing the DNR’s reports that make up a large part of every meeting, which blends the scientific with guesstimates, political tiptoeing, and the occasional dead silence.

MLFAC meetings are well run and respectful with a sliver of […]

Why is there no real transparency when the decisions made behind closed doors? The co-management decisions effect all residents of MN, not just the local stakeholders. If in fact Mille Lacs is being managed biologically, than net locations should be changed to reflect the changes in the lake. Politics must be taken out of these decisions!

See Mille Lacs Messenger story below

MLFAC frustrated over lack of involvement in walleye regulation decisions

By T.A. LeBrun news@millelacsmessenger.com      Oct 30, 2019

DNR shares preliminary fish population data and online survey results

The Mille Lacs Fisheries Advisory Committee (MLFAC) met Oct. 14 at Appeldoorn’s Sunset Bay Resort to hear from the Department of Natural Resource (DNR) regarding their lake management planning process and to review the results of the summer online survey conducted by the […]

Steve Johnson,  writing in Mille Lacs Messenger, weighs in on the DNR’s co-management of Mille Lacs walleye.

It’s come to this …
By Steve Johnson Mille Lacs Messenger Oct 25, 2019

I’m convinced the Minnesota DNR can no longer guarantee that the anglers of Minnesota can fish for walleye on Mille Lacs Lake for a full season–even if the lake’s population of walleye is at record levels.

So you may ask, why can’t we as anglers of the State of Minnesota partake in the long-established tradition and economically important activity of fishing for walleye on Mille Lacs Lake?

The answer is the quota.

The quota is the total amount of walleye for harvest determined by the DNR and split between the eight Bands of Ojibwe and state anglers. The quota determined by […]

Randy Thompson is an attorney for Mille Lacs County in a dispute over claims that old reservation still exists. Thompson reviews complexities in unraveling these claims despite more than 95 percent of the original 61,000-acre reservation having already passed out of Indian ownership.

Mille Lacs Band vs County lawsuit: A Legal Context 

By Randy Thompson   Mille Lacs Messenger   Oct 23, 2019

Nearly two years ago, in November 2017, the Mille Lacs Band sued Mille Lacs County, the Sheriff, and the County Attorney in federal court. The Band’s lawsuit raises issues concerning law enforcement rights and responsibilities, but it also goes to the question of whether or not the Reservation, established by an 1855 treaty, still exists. In simplest terms, the Mille Lacs Band claims that the Reservation continues to exist and that […]

The Mille Lacs Fisheries Advisory Committee (MLFAC) will meet from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.:

*** Monday, Oct. 14, at Appeldoorn’s Sunset Bay Resort, 45401 Mille Lacs Parkway, Isle
*** Thursday, Nov. 7, at Izatys Resort, 40005 85th Ave., Onamia

The October agenda will focus on DNR’s in-progress lake management planning process. The November agenda will focus on winter regulations.

Members of the public may observe MLFAC meetings, but these meetings serve primarily as a way for the committee to hold group discussions. Fifteen minutes are reserved for public comments and questions.

The committee has been active since October 2015. Its purpose is to advise the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on the State of Minnesota’s fisheries management program for Mille Lacs Lake.

PERM encourages its members and concerned citizens to attend both meetings. Remember, […]

Mille Lacs Messenger Updates

Recently, The Mille Lacs Messenger has published a two-part series on “co-management” walleye regulations’ impact on the Mille Lacs economy.

They show how this “wonderful” thing called co-management has cost so many people so much. In a recent “State of the Tribe” report, it was noted casino profits were down. Duh. Fewer people in the area means fewer people stopping for food and gambling.

The whole business community in the region and going north are suffering. Home and cabin owners who are there to enjoy the lake and a few shore lunches suffer. Then, when they decide to sell, they find out that because of “co-management” their property isn’t worth much, and there aren’t many buyers.

The Mille Lacs Tribe, which has vowed to get the long dis-established reservation back […]