65 



The federally-recognized Indian tribes within the United 

 States have jurisdiction over a reservation land base of over 52 

 million acres, or 81,250 square ndles. Tribes also exercise 

 jurisdictional authority over natural resources outside of 

 reservations due to federal court decisions and voluntary 

 cooperative agreements that mandate a co -management status 

 between tribes and states in the Northwest and Great Lakes areas. 

 Tribal lands, coupled with the Ceded and Usual and Accustomed 

 areas (over 38 million acres for which tribes maintain co- 

 management jurisdiction for fisheries and wildlife management and 

 utilization), total a natural resource base of over 140,625 square 

 rrdles, containing more than a million acres of lakes and 

 impoundments ( exclusive of the 21,596,800 surface acres of the Great 

 Lakes Ceded Area) and thousands of miles of streams and rivers. 

 Combined reservation lands would constitute the fifth largest state 

 in the United States. Adding the off-reservation areas would 

 constitute a land mass comparable to the State of Montana. The 

 State of Alaska alone has 45,000,000 acres of land which supports 

 native subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering. The management 

 of this subsistence resource - the source of life for the indigenous 

 people of Alaska - is in complete disarray, with these people 

 precluded in the management of the very resources which sustain 

 them. 



It is essential that the magnitude of the resource base under 

 tribal jurisdiction be fuUy understood in order to underscore the 

 necessity for support of tribal resource management activities. 



At least 9 officially recognized endangered avian species, 7 

 threatened or endangered mammalian species, 11 threatened or 

 endangered fish species, 12 threatened or endangered plant species, 

 and 1 threatened reptile species occurs on reservation lands. Tribal 

 fish hatcheries produce millions of salmon, steeUiead trout, walleye 

 and other species which support large and diverse fisheries. 

 Wetlands occurring on reservations throughout the country support 

 considerable waterfowl production and offer great enhancement 

 opportunity. Tribal wildlife programs manage and enhance 



extensive wildlife habitat for innumerable animal and plant species. 

 Tribes across the country have begun the process of involvement in 

 the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and have 

 developed regulations for Tribal members and non-Indians for 

 harvest of waterfowl. Tribal land bases now contribute 

 significantly toward meeting the demand for fisheries and wildlife 

 recreational opportunities. Unfortunately, fisheries and wildlife 



