Upper Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission

Upper Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission
Name	Upper Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission
Formation	1984
Type	Intertribal natural resource management commission
Headquarters	Odanah, Wisconsin
Region served	Great Lakes region
Membership	Bad River Band, Lac Courte Oreilles Band, Lac du Flambeau Band, Red Cliff Band, St. Croix Chippewa, Sokaogon Chippewa, Bad River Band, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
Leader title	Executive Director

Upper Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission is an intertribal natural resource organization established to coordinate fisheries, wildlife, and natural resource management among Ojibwe and other Anishinaabe nations in the Great Lakes region. It operates at the intersection of tribal sovereignty, federal statutes, and international agreements, engaging with state agencies, federal departments, and transboundary institutions. The commission's work touches on treaty rights, conservation practice, law enforcement, and community-based research across Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota.

History and formation

The commission was created in the early 1980s following prolonged legal and political developments involving the Treaty of St. Peters (1837), the Treaty of La Pointe (1854), and litigation such as Voigt v. Wisconsin. Member bands organized in response to interactions with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and state agencies including the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Influences included decisions from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, policy shifts under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and precedents set by cases like Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians v. Voight. Early leaders drew on relationships with entities such as the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, the International Joint Commission, and nonprofit organizations including the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Member tribes and governance

Membership comprises federally recognized Ojibwe/Chippewa nations including the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians, the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, and the Sokaogon Chippewa Community (Mole Lake), among others. Governance structures intersect tribal constitutions, tribal councils, and intertribal compacts; decision-making engages with the National Congress of American Indians framework and consultative norms exemplified by the United States Department of the Interior. The commission coordinates with regional entities including the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission peer organizations and consults with academic institutions such as the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Michigan State University for technical support.

Mission, programs, and services

The commission's mission emphasizes exercise of retained rights under the Treaty of Fond du Lac-era agreements and stewardship consistent with Anishinaabe values articulated in cultural resources policies similar to those of the National Historic Preservation Act consultations. Programs include fisheries co-management with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, wildlife habitat restoration projects often coordinated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's partners, and public health-oriented services collaborating with the Indian Health Service. Outreach and services extend to youth programming aligned with Tribal Youth Services models, environmental justice initiatives resonant with work by the Environmental Protection Agency, and legal advocacy engaging with the Native American Rights Fund.

Natural resources management and conservation

Staff conduct harvest management, habitat restoration, and species recovery planning for native stocks such as walleye, lake trout, coho salmon, and migratory species governed by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Conservation actions address invasive species including sea lamprey, zebra mussel, and Asian carp threats in coordination with the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the United States Geological Survey. Habitat projects link to landscape programs like those of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and tackle watershed issues tied to the Keweenaw Bay, Lake Superior, and St. Croix River basins. Cultural resource management integrates traditional ecological knowledge with protocols from the National Museum of the American Indian and tribal historic preservation offices.

Law enforcement and bi-national treaty responsibilities

The commission supports tribal conservation enforcement officers who operate under authorities shaped by decisions such as Minnesota v. Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians and national frameworks like the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. Enforcement duties include regulation of subsistence and commercial harvests, patrol of inland lakes and territorial waters, and coordination with state agencies including the Wisconsin State Patrol and federal partners like the U.S. Coast Guard. Cross-border responsibilities involve engagement with Canadian counterparts under agreements mediated by the International Joint Commission and protocols similar to those used by the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Research, monitoring, and education

The commission conducts biological monitoring, population assessments, and contaminant studies in partnership with research institutions such as the Great Lakes Commission, the University of Minnesota, and the Michigan Technological University. Programs incorporate community-based monitoring models used by the First Nations and draw on grant mechanisms from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Educational outreach includes curricula for schools modeled after resources from the Smithsonian Institution and collaborative workshops with the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program and regional extension services like the University of Wisconsin Extension.

Funding, partnerships, and organizational structure

Funding streams comprise federal grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, program agreements under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, state contributions, and private foundation awards from entities such as the Ford Foundation and the Packard Foundation. Strategic partnerships extend to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, regional non-governmental organizations like the The Nature Conservancy, and intergovernmental bodies including the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Organizationally, the commission maintains technical divisions for fisheries, wildlife, enforcement, and administration, reporting to a board composed of appointed tribal representatives and liaising with legal counsel experienced in Indian law from firms and advocates allied with the Native American Rights Fund.

Category:Native American organizations Category:Environmental organizations in Wisconsin