- Boozhoo, I'm Rita Karppinen.

Welcome to the 20th season of "Native Report."

- [Announcer] Production for "Native Report" is made possible by grants from the Blandin Foundation.

The generous support from viewers like Jack and Sharon Kemp, and viewers like you.

(inspirational music) (inspirational music continues) (inspirational music continues) - In this episode, we explore the vital work of the Red Lake Fisheries Program and its collaboration with the indigenous community Located in Minnesota, the program not only sustains the local economy through responsible fishing harvesting, but also preserves Red Lake's natural resources for future generations.

We'll dive into how the program integrates traditional knowledge with modern techniques, to create employment opportunities while promoting environmental stewardship and cultural preservation.

Join us as we uncover the important relationship between Red Lake Fisheries and the Red Lake Nation.

- When they started out fishing was for the war effort, 'cause they had a shortage of food.

So Red Lake, they started fishing, commercial fishing, and at that time it was ran by the state of Minnesota.

And later on they ended up moving where the tribe took over all the fishing stuff.

And sometimes I think, in sometime around the 40's or 50's, some Red Lakes ran that fishery ever since.

- My name's Pat Brown and I'm the fisheries biologist for the Red Lake Band, the Chippewa.

The Red Lakes themselves, there's about 285,000 acres of water out there.

I currently manage with the tribe has ownership over all of Lower Red Lake and two thirds of Upper Red Lake.

So it's about 227,000 acres of that.

The remaining 48,000 acres is where the state of Minnesota still has jurisdiction over that.

And that's what they manage.

- [Rita] At the heart of the program is a unique partnership between the Red Lake Nation and the Department of Natural Resources, built on collaboration and mutual respect.

- [Allan] I think the DNR, you know, we got a pretty good rapport with all the members.

We let everybody know what's going on and what happened.

You know, when when the fish went down, you know, the walleye, they were depleted and we ended up doing the recovery.

And I wasn't the director then.

Pat Brown was the one that got it going.

The recovery made it back really quick.

I think they spawned it like 10 years and it was actually, the fish were back like in seven.

- It's been an outstanding partnership between us and the state of Minnesota, especially with the fisheries.

We started back in 1997 to try to restore the walleye population when it collapsed.

And we've been working together ever since.

I think we're under our fourth or fifth memorandum of understanding now.

Management wise, the way we do it is we basically work together to come up with a quota.

Say we can take three pounds of walleye per acre out there.

You multiply ours by 227,000 acres, 'cause that's what we have jurisdiction over.

And then the state will multiply theirs by 48,000 acres.

And that's how we do it accurately between the two jurisdictions, and it's worked out very well to this point.

I would say our biggest fish species that's been impacted by climate change is lake white fish.

When I came to Red Lake, there was quite a few lake white fish out in the Red Lakes.

Today, it's very uncommon to catch one now.

They basically get killed by summer kills.

The water gets too warm during the summer months.

- I know we had, we used to have a lot of white fish in the lake, but they, it was maybe about 15 years ago, we had a really hot summer.

And there, you know, Red Lake, the Upper Red Lake is probably 15 feet deep everywhere up there.

But the Lower Red Lake is got more structure where it's, there's a lot of places that are 30, 35 feet deep.

But they're, you know, they're not a, it's not a real deep lake.

So the white fish normally are cold water fish, you know.

And what happened was they had three or four days of 90 degree weather, and it was really calm out.

And then like the fifth day, you know, the wind picked up and the water rolled over and it killed a whole bunch of the white fish.

And they're trying to make a little comeback now.

If anybody doesn't think there's global warming, I mean, just in my lifetime I've seen a lot of changes from, you know, like in October I used to hunt with my dad and go hunting ducks and stuff and there was ice on the edge of the little pond.

And then it's what, gonna be 80 tomorrow?

I mean, you know, things have really changed, you know.

And in the winters, you know, they're different.

Then on the last winter, actually the ice just never really got really good because I guess I never seen a winter like last year.

- [Rita] Biologists working with the program gave us an in-depth look at the science and sustainability efforts that keep Red Lake's fish populations thriving.

While we weren't able to go out on the lake, since we're not tribal members, we gained a deep appreciation for the cultural protocols and respect tied to this sacred space.

- Once the recovery came, we checked to figure out how to fish again.

You know, 'cause we didn't want what, you know, what happened in the past to happen again where it was over fished.

- I guess the main thing is that we are working side by side with the state.

When the lake did collapse, it was because what we say, the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing.

But today we do, we basically go out and collect our data together and then we combine that data and we get a very good picture of the whole lake, and not just each jurisdiction, 'cause the fish don't know the boundaries.

And basically the biologists, you know, what we're really doing is just trying to, we're doing what's best for the resources, is what we're trying to do.

So basically, here on the reservation, we have several different programs.

We have the commercial fishery, we are the oldest and largest, and actually the only commercial walleye fishing in the United States today.

And then we also have some sports fishing opportunities on the reservation where tribal members will take non-members fishing on some of our smaller lakes.

They're not allowed to go on to the big lake, the Red Lakes.

However, they do have trout fishing and bass and bluegill fishing on some of the smaller lakes.

- It's fun.

You know, to me, like, I've done the guiding for a lot of years, and I have people that keep coming back every year and you know, some of 'em were 25 years now that I've guided them, you know.

And they have fun, you know, and then I have fun with them.

You know, there's a lot of people, you know, that, I guess get the misconception about Red Lake or whatever that were, you know, they all say that, think that Red Lake's bad.

I mean, everybody's got bad people, but nobody, you know, once they come here they say, "Oh man, I like it here," you know?

I mean that's just like the people that work for us, you know, they, people tell 'em, "Oh man, you work in Red Lake?

Why would you work there?"

You know?

But once they come here and work with us, we're good people, you know.

I mean, and we know good people, so when they're there, we keep try to keep 'em here to work for us.

- Well, Red Lake's a great place to work, because it hasn't been screwed up like many other places.

I get, on a daily basis I can go out and net sturgeon one day.

Like yesterday, we were out netting sturgeon and actually tagging 'em so we can look at some of their growth rates.

In the afternoon we were stocking walleyes in some of our small lakes.

And then at the same time we were able to take some fish into the middle school and talk to the middle school kids, 'cause we've got a sturgeon in the classroom program that we like to run.

And the kids love it.

So, a lot of fun stuff.

So we get to do a lot of different things.

So for the stocking wise, currently, like for the big lake, we do no stocking other than the Lake Sturgeon.

And that is actually done with, between ourselves, and the state of Minnesota helps with the egg collection.

Then those eggs go down to the Fish and Wildlife Service in Genoa, Wisconsin.

They hatch 'em, raise them, and then we bring 'em up here and we stock 'em together in the lower lake.

All the other stockings, we haven't stocked walleye now in the Red Lake since I think 2005 was the last year that we did that.

Red Lake is a natural walleye rearing pond out there.

Basically, it's one of the best lakes in the country for walleye.

And we don't need to stock it.

As long as you take care of it, manage it correctly, and keep enough females out there, we'll have no problem with the eggs.

- [Rita] This program isn't just about fishing, it's about preserving a way of life, supporting the local economy and honoring the Red Lake Nation's relationship with the land.

- [Allan] So, what we originally tried was we originally tried hook and line fishing, and that's pretty much what we do now.

- Basically, the way it works is any tribal member, I think you'd have to be the age of 16, can go down to the Red Lake fisheries to become a, basically a fishing member of the association down there.

And then that allows a tribal member to go out and catch 150 walleyes.

They have to be between 14 and 22 inches in size.

They can then turn those fish in to the commercial fishery, and then they get paid.

I think it's like $1.50 a pound or something like that.

And then, you know, they get a check in every couple weeks.

We do have several net crews that still work on the lake.

When the anglers can't bring in enough fish, then we have the net crews that kinda supplement the catch.

But our overall goal is to let tribal members go out and catch 'em hook and line.

So, a lot of our jobs here on the reservation, the main thing is tribal government for sure.

We do have casinos, but they're nowhere near as large as some of the other reservations in Minnesota.

And we basically have to use our natural resources.

We have logging and then we also have commercial fishing.

And this allows all tribal members basically to benefit from the resource out there.

And it's not only that the tribal members benefit, but then they take their resources, the paychecks that they get, and then they use 'em in the local community.

So it's really a boom for everybody.

- We're at the Red Lake Nation fishery.

It's a processing and receiving center for walleye located in Redby, Minnesota.

We do a lot of processing right now for, we're working on USDA orders through the FDPIR program.

We also do wholesale sales, retail sales.

We do, everything that we do is hand-filleted.

So, we do have a scaling machine and a skinning machine, but otherwise, everything else is done by hand.

In the past years, the numbers were a little low.

We haven't gotten close to our harvest quota in the past two years.

Last year we had around 760,000 pounds come through.

This year, we are looking to hit our 800,000 pound quota and possibly get into that buffer range.

We do have up to a million pounds that we can harvest a year.

So we're looking, this year we're projecting around 850,000 pounds to come through the doors here.

Biggest roadblock for our site here would just be the processing.

It has to do with manpower, the size of our facility and just time, I guess.

We bring a lot of fish in, but we don't have a lot of turnaround time.

We have to get things in and out very quick to keep up with orders.

So, one of the things that we would like people to know is that we are rated green for sustainability, which means the amount of fish that we take out of the lake does not affect the numbers.

It's self-sustaining.

Right now, we've worked hand in hand with Red Lake Conservation, Red Lake, DNR, as well as state DNR.

They work together to kind of bring this program back to life.

And you know, that's kind of the main thing.

Main goal for us is just to make it sustainable for future generations.

- [Rita] The program's success has become a model for tribal fisheries across the nation, showing how sovereignty and stewardship go hand in hand.

- [Pat] You know, we've seen a lot of the folks, we see some negative stuff on some of the websites and things like that, but a lot of the local folks from up in the Ojibwe area are very supportive of what we're doing.

And that's the reason we're working together.

And people need to understand that we are working together, we're not working against each other.

- From the innovative management strategies to the community's deeper to commitment to preserving their natural resources.

The story of the Red Lake fishery is a powerful testament to the strength and resilience of indigenous stewardship.

We've witnessed how this partnership not only supports the local economy, but also honors cultural traditions and fosters a deep connection to the land and water.

(upbeat music) - Otitis media is a middle ear infection and is common in childhood.

The middle ear is the air filled space between your eardrum and the inner ear.

In the middle ear are the three small bones that transmit sound vibrations from your eardrum to your inner ear so you can hear.

The eustachian tubes connect the middle ear to the back of your throat.

Middle ear infections are the most common childhood infections other than colds.

Ear infections occur most often in children between six months and two years of age.

They are common until about age eight.

Older children and adults can get ear infections, but they don't happen nearly as often as they do in younger children.

Children get ear infections more often than in adults because their eustachian tubes don't function as well as adults.

And the tubing is smaller and this allows fluid to gather behind the eardrum.

Their immune systems are still developing and they're around other kids in daycare and school, and they're more likely to catch illnesses from other children.

About half of children with the ear infections get fevers.

In addition to ear pain and trouble hearing, kids can have trouble sleeping, loss of appetite and drainage from the ear.

You should never put anything in the ear canal if there's drainage, as anything touching the eardrum can cause more damage.

Bacteria and viruses cause ear infections.

Often after a cold or another upper respiratory infection, the bacteria or viruses can travel up the eustachian tube into the middle ear and cause the tubes to swell.

The swelling can cause the tube to become blocked, leading to fluid, then infection in your ear.

Ear infections are not contagious, but the viruses or bacteria causing the infections are.

Getting ear infections can run in families, and young children are at greater risk.

Getting colds increases the risk of developing ear infections.

Asthma and chronic respiratory diseases, air pollution and secondhand smoke increase the risk of ear infections.

Most ear infections don't cause long-term problems, but repeated ear infections or ongoing ear infections can cause temporary hearing loss.

In young children, this can result in delayed speech and language development.

Sometimes an eardrum can rupture.

Most often this heals on its own, but if it doesn't, surgery may be necessary.

Most of the time, ear infections can be diagnosed by symptoms in an office exam.

Sometimes specialized hearing tests are needed.

Many ear infections will heal without treatment, but antibiotics are used if bacteria are causing the infection.

A follow-up exam is important to make sure the ear infection is cleared.

For recurrent or chronic ear infections, an ear, nose, and throat specialist can place tubes during a procedure called the tympanostomy.

It's a short procedure that takes about 10 minutes, and a small tube is placed into a tiny incision in the eardrum.

The fluid is suctioned out before the tubes are put in.

The tubes usually stay in place for 12 to 18 months and often fall out on their own.

If not, they can be taken out by the ear, nose, and throat specialist.

Breastfed babies tend to get fewer ear infections.

If babies are bottle fed, feeding them upright can prevent formula from flowing backward and collecting in the eustachian tubes.

Staying up to date on vaccinations.

Good hand washing and avoiding secondhand smoke are all things you can do.

As always, talk to your healthcare provider.

Keeping your family healthy is why they went through all that schooling.

And remember to call an elder.

They've been waiting for your call.

I'm Dr. Arne Vainjo and this is "Health Matters."

(inspirational music) - Treaty rates are not just historical agreements, they are living commitments that continue to shape the lives of indigenous communities today.

After exploring the Red Lakes Nation's fishery program and its powerful demonstration of tribal sovereignty, we take a look back at one of our past segments where we saw treaty rights in action firsthand.

This story highlights how these agreements remain a vital part of protecting cultural practices and sustaining natural resources.

(gentle music) - Curtis Gagnon, who was he?

He was my dad.

(Beth laughing) He's a man who loved Grand Portage and he loved the land before my father stood up for sovereignty and our treaty rights.

We weren't allowed to hunt off the reservation, period.

In 1854, there was a treaty signed and Grand Portage was a part of it, as was the Bois Forte Band and the Fond du Lac Band.

We seated a certain territory, which you can kind of see.

It's northeastern Minnesota near Duluth, and across to the middle of the state.

And in the treaty, we were given the right to hunt and fish therein, and we were never allowed to practice those rights off the reservation.

You know, you had to be careful of where you were and you know, you had to have a license off the reservation, right?

So I guess you could go off the reservation, but you had to pay for it.

On the reservation, it was as it is.

And you can hunt and fish here, gather here, to live.

I've heard this story a number of times and it changes, as stories do with him.

So one particular time he was hunting and it would've been kind of on the western edge of the reservation, near Reservation River and kind of way up in the woods, and shot a moose and it didn't drop.

(Beth laughing) And so, he tracked it and tracked it and tracked it and tracked it.

And so, you know, some people would just let the moose go, right?

The moose, shot it, you're never gonna see it again.

You tried your best to get it.

That's what every good hunter wants to do is do what they can.

And eventually they realized the moose had left the reservation, or he had shot the moose off the reservation, whatever triggered that law, that state law that says you can't hunt out of whatever season or without a tag, or this.

And so, he turned himself into the game wardens and was cited, and he fought it.

He fought it.

Basically, the Grand Portage band fought it.

They fought the state of Minnesota because no, what did he do?

He shot a moose and it wasn't, it was in treaty area where he could, by treaty shoot the moose, but by state law, federal law, state law, he couldn't.

And so, he was providing for his family.

The moose went off the reservation, he tracked it, and he was cited.

(soft music) I was about 10 years old when the whole thing happened.

And so, growing up there, dad was on the phone all the time, you know, he always had a little, those legal pads that flip over.

He always had those that he would be writing notes on and everything like that.

And he never did get the moose, but he couldn't let it go.

And he wanted to stand up, and he thinks he shouldn't have gotten in trouble, but knew that he had to get in trouble in order for something to change.

And so, being kind of that person who just kind of stands up and says, you know, "This isn't right, bring it on."

And they brought it on real hard, and it brought Grand Portage into the spotlight.

And that's, I can imagine that was pretty hard too because they, it wasn't, you know, like we were used to the spotlight up here in our little town and to be at the center of treaty battles in the 1980's, which were kind of fueled by the American Indian Movement.

There was no verdict.

The state settled or we settled.

And my dad never wanted to settle.

I gotta let everyone know that for sure.

He didn't wanna settle.

And to like, his grave, he talked about it.

And my parents had a gift store and a gas station that they were running for a while up in Grand Portage.

And I remember, all of a sudden we didn't have the store anymore, and we moved away for three months.

That's as long as my dad could really stay away from here.

But we moved away because there was a good opportunity.

But really, we moved away from a lot of strife and a lot of tension and uneasiness around the agreement that came out of the court case.

And my family felt that they needed to get away for a little while.

And so, I think the tensions were really high.

Think there were people who wanted it and there were people who didn't.

And it was just people against each other from families and stuff like that.

And so, his point was, why would we give that stuff up at all?

Why would we just give it up at all?

The leaders at the time chose to settle, for lots of different reasons, I'm sure.

But what we get today from it is in order to hunt that moose off the reservation, I have to put in an application.

There's no fee.

We put in, we give 'em our enrollment number and all our information and we receive a tag in the mail and we have an ID card, and then we can go moose hunting, in our treaty territory.

I think it's important to know that we're still doing this stuff.

We're still out here practicing our treaty rights, even though we have to do it a little bit differently to follow the rules.

It's worth it, to be able to carry on the traditions and feed our families and share meat and share fish with our neighbors just like we've always been doing.

We're still doing it.

We're still here.

- If you missed a show or wanna catch up online, find us at NativeReport.org.

And don't forget to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for behind the scene updates.

Drop a comment on social media if you enjoyed the show.

Thank you for spending your time with your friends and neighbors from across Indian Country.

I'm Rita Karppinen.

We'll see you next time on "Native Report."

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