Tag Archives: Passamaquoddy Tribe
Five U.S. nationals arrested, fined for fishing in Passamaquoddy Bay
A U.S. Passamaquoddy fisherman says he doesn’t go out of his way to fish lobster in Canadian waters. But the border is just a mile away from his reserve in Maine and he can’t earn a living if he doesn’t cross it now and then. “We’re literally going from our back doors to where our people have fished and survived for thousands of years,” said Adam Newell, who lives on the Sipayik reservation in Pleasant Point. On Dec. 6, five U.S. fishermen, including four from the Passamaquoddy tribe, were arrested on the Canadian side of the border. >click to read<20:26
Passamaquoddy tribe and state trying to find middle ground over use of fyke nets
Passamaquoddy tribal leaders and the Department of Marine Resources met Tuesday morning, trying to reach some common ground about a new emergency rule. The chief of the tribe would not go into detail about what the meeting was about, but he said these meetings are because of some disagreement between the two parties, specifically the use of fyke nets . Video, Read the rest here 09:05
Maine Department of Marine Resources proposes lower elver quotas for tribes
As Maine’s 2015 elver season draws near, state officials are looking to adopt a rule that would reduce catch allocations for the state’s four federally-recognized Indian tribes. Last year, the Passamaquoddy Tribe was limited to harvesting no more than 1,572 pounds, This year, the department is proposing to limit the Passamaquoddys to 1,356 pounds Read the rest here 18:40
Lobster trap seizure sparks dispute with Passamaquoddy Tribe
A dispute over tribal fishing rights in the Canadian waters of Passamaquoddy Bay has surfaced, following the recent seizure by the Canadian government of lobster traps being fished by members of the . The issue highlights tribal members’ lack of rights in Canada, since the tribe is not recognized by the federal government. Kani Malsom, a Passamaquoddy fisherman from Sipayik, says about 175 of his traps were seized this fall. “It’s our inherent right to fish on that side of the border. We never had to have a license,” Read the rest here 15:21
Tribal official facing charges in NY vows to take elver debate beyond Maine
For the past several years, there has been a simmering dispute — sometimes boiling — between Maine state officials and the Passamaquoddy Tribe over the elver fishery. Read more here 11:04
Tribe Agrees to State Terms on Elvers
The Passamaquoddy Tribe has agreed to abide by state fishing rules for the elver season that kicks off this weekend, ending the threat of conflict with state officials. Read more here mpbn 16:21
Passamaquoddy tribe working to lift individual elver quotas
BANGOR, Maine — Members of the Passamaquoddy tribe are submitting emergency legislation that seeks to lift individual fishing quotas for elvers. Read more here 16:30
Panel endorses changes to tribal elver bill, deal ‘pretty much gone,’ says tribe
AUGUSTA, Maine — Changes that a legislative panel made Wednesday to a tentative agreement, state fisheries officials had made with the Passamaquoddy Tribe over elver fishing mean that the agreement is “pretty much gone,” according to a tribal official. Read more@BDN 09:15
Passamaquoddy Tribe upset after Maine Department of Marine Resources pulls back from elver deal
AUGUSTA, Maine — Passamaquoddy Chief Joseph Socobasin said Friday the tribe was disappointed that the Department of Marine Resources withdrew its support Wednesday for a tentative agreement with them over the state’s elver fishery because of legal concerns. Read more@BDN 13:02
Changes loom for Maine elver fishery – catch limits – swipe-card monitoring of elver sales – welfare fraud prevention project
Maine’s lucrative elver fishery is facing some big changes, including smaller catch quotas and a new swipe-card monitoring system that state officials hope will help manage the resource while reducing the poaching of baby eels that fetched up to $2,000 a pound last season. more@portlandpress 12:08
Two dozen cited for fishing elver without licenses over first two weeks of season
BANGOR, Maine — For much of the past week, state officials and Passamaquoddy Tribe members have clashed over enforcement of state laws during the recently begun elver season. At the BDN’s request, Jeff Nichols, the DMR’s communications director, collected data from the state’s two marine patrol divisions. That data includes violations that resulted in summonses between the season opening on March 22 and Wednesday, April 3. continued
The Flame Get’s Higher – Sovereignty battle brewing over elver eel dispute between Passamaquoddy, Maine state government
ELLSWORTH, Maine — Passamaquoddy leaders are decrying what one official called an “extreme show of force” by Marine Patrol, which last night confiscated three elver nets from tribal members at the Pennamaquan River. continued
Passamaquoddys: Catch quota better way to protect elvers than fishing license limit. Catch capped at 3600 lbs – video
CALAIS, Maine — Imposing a catch limit is a better way of protecting the the state’s elver population than limiting the number of licenses .Tribal representatives said that limiting the catch to 3,600 pounds and allowing fishermen to use just one net was a better way to manage the resource than issuing a set number of licenses to tribal members. State invalidating all but 150 of the 575 licenses issued by the Passamaquoddy tribe. Any tribal license numbered 151 or higher will be considered void by Maine Marine Patrol, he said. continued
heating up – Passamaquoddys to hold press conference on elver fishing controversy
The press conference is being held in response to a statement Friday by Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher that the tribe had put the state out of compliance with fishing restrictions imposed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission by issuing more than twice the number of elver licenses it should have. Keliher said that by issuing 575, the tribe has put Maine out of compliance with elver regulations. continued
Passamaquoddys issue far more elver licenses than allowed by law
ELLSWORTH, Maine — A year after catching state officials off guard by issuing 236 elver fishing licenses in the middle of elver season, the Passamaquoddy Tribe has issued more than twice that amount for 2013. continue reading
Maine Department of Marine Resources proposes 100 elver licenses for four Maine Indian tribes
At issue is the state’s newly lucrative elver fishery, which over the past two years has become one of the most valuable commercial fisheries in Maine, second only to the state’s $339 million lobster industry. But last spring, more than six weeks into the 10-week elver season, the Passamaquoddy Tribe caught state officials and others off guard when it issued 236 licenses to its members. Read more
