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which over 95% of the people fishing are non-Indians. We generate no revenue from these 

 users of our waters. Other tribes are in the same situation. 



This situation is unfair. Indian tribes exercise inherent sovereign authority over the 

 management of the reservation's natural resources. Furthermore, it is the tribes who 

 actually manage the reservation's natural resources. Yet, when reservation fee land or 

 navigable waters are involved, the Montana and Brendale decisions in many instances shut 

 the tribes out of the economic benefit of non-Indian hunting and fishing activity. 



Both the Brendale and Montana decisions should be modified legislatively to make 

 it clear beyond question that Indian tribes may regulate non-Indians utilizing the tribe's 

 natural resources on fee lands and navigable waters within their territories and to insure that 

 Indian tribes have the opportunity to generate revenues from these activities. 



4. Fish Hatchery Construction and Operations . We operate a very successful 

 fish hatchery on our Reservation, which provides substantial benefit to the Indian and non- 

 Indian community. Unfortunately, our facility - which was built in 1936 - is antiquated and 

 in need of replacement. While we have made the best use of the facility that we could, the 

 fact is that the wiring and plumbing in our facility is unsafe and hazardous. Moreover, as 

 our program has grown we find that we have outgrown the hatchery - we need a larger 

 facility. 



Unfortunately, we find that there is no federal program available to provide funding 

 for hatchery construction. In view of the increasingly important role that fish hatcheries play 

 in natural resource management, we think it is important that the legislation address these 

 needs, and provide a mechanism for hatchery construction funding. 



B. Problems potentially affecting FY94 appropriations 



There are two actions which the Bush Administration had proposed for the FY94 

 BIA budget which, unless reversed would have a serious detrimental impact on tribal natural 

 resources programs. They are as follows: 



1. Proposed elimination of two BIA natural resources programs . The BIA 

 proposes to zero out funding for tribal hatchery operations ($2.99 million) and tribal 

 management and development projects ($6.65 million), and instead seek to fund these 

 programs with Dingell-Johnson Pittman-Robertson (DJPR) Act monies. To accomplish this, 

 we understand that the Bush budget proposed that changes be made in the Interior 

 Appropriations Act to make tribes eligible for DJPR funding, which would then be used to 

 fund these programs. 



The Band operates a very successful fish hatchery, which makes a substantial 

 contribution to the Reservation fishery, benefitting Indians and non-Indians alike. We know 

 first hand how important tribal fish hatchery operations are to the economic well-being of 



