The state/tribal agreement on fishing and bird hunting on the Flathead Reservation is up for renewal. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks proposes to renew the agreement with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes indefinitely. If renewed, either party will still have the option of terminating the agreement with 120 days notice. Copies of the agreement are available at the FWP headquarters on North Meridian Road in Kalispell, or at the FWP website at:
2010 State-Tribal Agreement
FWP and CSKT will conduct a public meeting on October 14 to gather comment on agreement renewal. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Polson Public Library meeting room at 2 1st Avenue East in Polson. To comment in writing, email comments to: {encode=”[email protected]” title=”Germaine White”}; or {encode=”[email protected]” title=”John Fraley”}.
The agreement was originally negotiated in the fall of 1990 by then Attorney General Marc Racicot and the CSKT Tribal Council, and went into effect on a 4-year cycle. It was re-authorized in 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2006.
According to Region One FWP Supervisor Jim Satterfield, the agreement has maintained access to public bird hunting and fishing and has forged closer cooperation between FWP and Tribal fish and wildlife biologists. The joint licensing agreement has also simplified regulations and made them more consistent. Tom McDonald, Division Manager for Fish, Wildlife, Recreation and Conservation for CSKT said that funds generated from license sales have gone for a number of improvements for fish and wildlife habitat and management.
As part of the agreement, a Fish and Wildlife Board has functioned as the liaison between the public, FWP Commission, and the Tribal Council. The Board accepts recommendations from state and tribal technical staff and the public, and then submits recommendations to the Tribal Council and FWP Commission. The Board is comprised of three tribal representatives, three state representatives, and one U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service representative.
For more information on the agreement contact: Jim Satterfield, FWP, 752-5501; or Tom McDonald, CSKT, 883-2888.—fwp—