21 



Testimony of Wainwright Velarde 



House Subcommittee on Native American Affairs 



Oversight Hearing-Indian Fish and Wildlife Management & Enhancement 



February 18, 1993 



Page 2 



The Reservation population is approximately 3000, of whom 2800 are members of 

 the Jicarilla Apache Tribe. The relatively small number of non-members residing on the 

 Reservation strengthens the ability of the Tribal Government to manage our resources 

 effectively. 



Off-reservation hunting and fishing rights are an important issue for many of the 

 Indian tribes, but these are not issues for our Tribe. The treaty and executive orders 

 estabhshing our reservation did not preserve the hunting and fishing rights the Tribe held 

 in the larger area we occupied before the reservation was established. Our rights to 

 manage fish and wildlife are confined to the boundaries of the Reservation. 



Within those boundaries, the Tribe has exclusive authority to manage fish and 

 wildlife. The state of New Mexico has occasionally attempted to regulate hunting and 

 fishing on our Reservation, but we have gone to federal court to stop that interference with 

 our sovereignty, and the federal court has supported our position. 



Our Reservation is rich in natural resources, including oil and gas, timber, good 

 grazing lands, as well as fish and wildlife. We manage those different resources so that we 

 are able to develop and enjoy each of them without causing unnecessary impacts on the 

 environment or on other natural resources. 



For example, the Jicarilla Apache Reservation is a significant producer of natural 

 gas. At the same time, our Reservation has been known for many decades as one of the 

 best areas in the United States for trophy hunting of mule deer and elk. We also have 

 significant populations of bear, turkey and other game and non-game wildlife. In addition, 

 the lakes and streams within the Reservation provide valuable habitat areas for fish and 

 waterfowl. 



From this brief description of our Reservation and our Tribe, it is clear that the 

 Jicarilla Apaches have been blessed with great natural resources. Still, it is important for 

 this subcommittee to understand that we have had to work hard and to devote substantial 

 amounts of the Tribe's income to protect and manage those natural resources. Specifically 

 in the area of wildlife management, the Tribe has received very little assistance, financial 

 or technical, from the United States or from the state of New Mexico. 



The Tribe established its own Game and Fish Department in 1959. The Department 

 now consists of 23 full time employees, including a professional wildlife biologist, three 

 biological technicians and 9 individuals working full time in enforcement of the Tribe's 

 Game and Fish Code. 



