Contemporary Conflict Regarding the Mille Lacs Band's Traditional Hunting, Fishing and Gathering Rights

The Anishinaabe (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) faced an uphill battle when they sued the state of Minnesota for violating the 1837 treaty that protected their hunting, fishing and gathering rights. Though the Mille Lacs Band were granted their rights, this has not stopped them from facing citations and harassment. Some citizens in Minnesota have complained that the Natives in the region are depleting recourses by practicing their traditional hunting, fishing and gathering methods. Walleye in paticular is claimed to have had a drastic decline in population due to Native people using traditional fishing practices such as spearfishing and netting. This is sheerly used as a fear tactic to instill the idea that fishing town's tourism will suffer economically. In reality, the Mille Lacs Band as well as other Anishinaabe tribes run walleye hatcheries, ensuring the population remain plentiful. Since 2012, the Anishinaae Nation have released a total of 44 million fish across the Great Lakes Region. Atop this, the Mille Lacs Band are also involved in several wildlife conservation projects, again reinforcing their abundant connection to nature and the belief of giving back to Mother Earth.