Federal judge rules on Michigan consent decree

Federal Judge Paul Maloney has approved the agreement between the tribes, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and the federal government regarding the Treaty of 1836, setting the stage for tribal commercial fishing regulations for the next 24 years. The decree “respects and promotes tribal fishing rights and opportunities yet it also preserves the Great Lakes fishery and recognizes the shared natural resource,” Maloney wrote in his 139-page opinion. The judge essentially agreed to the document negotiated between four of the tribes and the DNR while rejecting objections of the Sault Ste. Marie tribe and the Coalition to Protect Michigan Resources.