GREAT LAKES INDIAN FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION ORDER
Order No. 2026-04
Wisconsin 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territory Alternative Monitoring of Muskellunge
This Commission Order addresses the alternative monitoring of muskellunge on certain waterbodies in the Wisconsin portion of the 1837 and 1842 ceded territory 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 the GLIFWC 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 with a maximum safe harvest of eight (8) muskellunge may be eligible for alternative monitoring. While the Stipulation language provides for incremental increase to the eligible waterbodies for walleye from the original eligibility numbers, no such increase potential was included for muskellunge. This creates a situation where some waterbodies may be eligible for alternative monitoring for walleye while they are simultaneously not eligible alternative monitoring of muskellunge. This Order is intended to ameliorate this discrepancy and provide for more efficient alternative monitoring for all fish species.
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 Walleye Harvest on Certain Lakes in the Wisconsin portion of the 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territories document as enacted in each Tribe’s Code.
Sec. 2: Alternative Monitoring of Muskellunge. Starting on the date of this Order and 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 list of waterbodies eligible for alternative monitoring of muskellunge to include waterbodies with a maximum safe harvest, or remaining quota (see Commission Order 2026-03), of eleven (11) muskellunge.
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 gathering regulations or other measures that are more restrictive than provided in this Order.
See more info in the document: