Musky America Magazine October Edition

reasonably use, the non-native peoples subscribed to a more exploitative resource management philosophy. As we all know, the collective will of the non-native peoples prevailed. Over time, through the unencumbered harvesting of land and water resources, the quality of Wisconsin fisheries declined as did the quality of life of the Native Peoples. Evidence of the disregard of the non-native peoples for a balance in resource management is readily available to anyone who is willing to look. DID YOU KNOW that the wooded area that now surrounds the Chippewa Flowage was once clear cut of all trees? Clear cutting increased soil erosion into the rivers and streams and had a devastating effect upon the spawning cycles for all fish species. DID YOU KNOW that from 1964 to 1973 there were over 6,300 Musky, 30 inches or better, taken from the Chippewa Flowage and killed? During all that time and up until 1989, the Native Peoples had their traditional harvest rights severely limited and so damage to the fishery cannot be placed at their feet. Today, even with the philosophy of catch and release, nonnative peoples continue to impede the natural ability of fisheries to be healthy through their recreational activities. Motor boats create wake conditions that erode shore lines and damage spawning areas. Boat traffic of all types disrupts the natural cycles of fish in our fisheries. Over the course of a Musky season, copious amounts of oil and gas

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODA4MA==