GREAT LAKES INDIAN FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION ORDER
Order No. 2026-03
Wisconsin 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territory Alternative Monitoring Eligibility by Remaining Quota
This Commission Order addresses the eligibility of lakes for alternative monitoring during the 2026 open-water spearing season in the Wisconsin portion of the 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territories pursuant to agreements of the Parties to the LCO case in accordance with Section 3.e. of the Stipulation for Biological and Certain Other Issues (Docket Number 911) as amended by Section X of the Stipulation for Technical, Management and Other Updates: Second Amendment of the Stipulations Incorporated in the Final Judgement and Section I.C. of the Stipulation for Technical, Management and Other Updates: Fourth Amendments to the Stipulations Incorporated into the Final Judgement.
Sec. 1: Authority and Applicability; Purpose and Limitations.
Subd. 1.1: This Order is issued in accordance with the authority granted in Section I.A.1. of the Stipulation for Technical, Management and Other Updates: Sixth Amendment to the Stipulations Incorporated Into the Final Judgement, which provides GLIFWC’s Executive Administrator with the authority to issue a Commission Order on any topic so long as the Parties have agreed to the substance of the Order and the applicability of the Commission Order process.
Subd. 1.2: Section I.C.a. of the Stipulation for Technical, Management and Other Updates: Fourth Amendments to the Stipulations Incorporated into the Final Judgement provides that lakes may be eligible for alternative monitoring and included in the administrative document Tribal Alternative Monitoring of Open-Water Spearing on Certain Lakes in the Wisconsin Portion of the 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territories based on a specified maximum safe-harvest number for walleye and/or muskellunge. To support effective tribal harvest and monitoring, specifically on lakes with small remaining quotas, this Order allows waterbodies to become eligible for alternative monitoring when the remaining quota for walleye and/or muskellunge on that waterbody falls below the number agreed upon by the Parties.
Subd. 1.3: Upon issuance of this Order, unless a Tribe chooses to adopt more restrictive measures, the regulations established herein shall be the Tribe’s regulations as provided in the Tribal Alternative Monitoring of Open-Water Spearing on Certain Lakes in the Wisconsin portion of the 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territories document as enacted in
each Tribe’s Code. The regulations established herein shall be in operation for a one-year trial period unless otherwise agreed upon by the Parties.
Sec. 2: Alternative Monitoring by Remaining Quota. Starting on the date of this Order and applying for one year, unless and until changed by a subsequent order, or made permanent through an amendment to the stipulations, the following shall apply to each signatory tribe:
Subd. 2.1: The applicable language in Section I.C.a. of the Stipulation for Technical, Management and Other Updates: Fourth Amendments to the Stipulations Incorporated into the Final Judgement shall be temporarily superseded to permit the eligibility of waterbodies for alternative monitoring of walleye and muskellunge be determined based on remaining quota numbers agreed upon by the Parties. These remaining quota numbers shall be reflected in the tribal administration document detailed in Subd. 2.2, below.
Subd. 2.2: The tribal administrative document Tribal Alternative Monitoring of Open-Water Spearing on Certain Lakes in the Wisconsin Portion of the 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territories - 2026 (attached) shall be amended in accordance with changes detailed in Subd. 2.1, above.
Sec. 3: Reservation of Each Tribe’s Authority. Nothing in this order is intended to, or shall be construed to, limit the authority of each Tribe to establish tribal harvesting regulations or other measures that are more restrictive than provided in this Order.
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