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Testimony of Red Lake Chairman Gerald F. Brun, February 18, 1993 



Before the House Native American Affairs SuBcoMMirrEE 



Regarding Tribal Fish and Wildlife Conservation Legislation 



strengthen Reservation trespass penalties to deter poaching on Reservations 



set aside funds to Tribes from the federal fish and wildlife conservation 

 assistance programs 



authorize funds for stable and consistent comprehensive tribal government 

 natural resource core management operations 



protect against environmental threats to Reservation fish and wildlife 

 resources that are diminishing their value 



affirm that the United States' trust responsibility to Indian Tribes is the 

 obligation of each federal agency, not just the Bureau of Indian Affairs 



direct each federal agency to deal with and fund tribal government fish, 

 wildlife and environmental resource projects on an equal basis and a 

 proportional level to that enjoyed by state and local governments 



My staff would be happy to work with the Subcommittee staff in refining these ideas 

 into legislation. The rest of our testimony will focus on strengthening the Reservation 

 trespass law and allocating funding to tribal governments. 



STRENGTHEN THE FEDERAL RESERVATION TRESPASS LAW 



The Problem. Poaching and other illegal hunting and fishing activity on Indian 

 Reservations is on the increase, jeopardizing our fish and wildlife. In many cases, our 

 commercial livelihood is based on maintaining and enhancing the value of our natural 

 resources. When our natural resources are threatened, our jobs are threatened. In many 

 cases, our subsistence culture is interwoven with our natural resources. When our natural 

 resources are threatened, our way of life is threatened. 



Some of the more flagrant poaching violations are carried out by non-members over 

 whom tribal governments like Red Lake have little or no enforcement powers. In such 

 cases, we strongly believe Congress must modernize the federal-Indian law enforcement 

 measures available to Indian Tribes and to their federal agency counterparts charged with 

 conservation enforcement on Indian Reservations. 



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