Niikaanag: The Recognition and Implementation of Relationships in Tribal Fisheries

Native culture is rooted in strong relationships between the people, their communities, and the natural world.  In a cultural context, these relationships are essential in terms of defining the roles, responsibilities, and commitments that people have towards each other and the natural world.   Relationships between tribes and the United States government were formalized in the treaties of 1837 and 1842.  In these treaties, the tribes ceded large tracts of land to the U.S. government and retained the right to hunt, fish, and gather in these territories.  Subsequent court cases established a framework for the exercise of these treaty rights, and a relationship between the tribes and other resource management agencies.  These resource management relationships are enhanced by scientific contributions to improve the understanding of the resource and accountability in managing the harvest of shared resources.  Objective, data-driven decision making enhances credibility and helps build trust between managers.