Lac Des Mille Lac

[Snotrocket 4]

Hey there got another question my guess is you won't answer it, I dont know why but here it goes ( did I stump you too much red tape lol). I'm a Full status native Robinson superior treaty. I got a good map of my treaty (government site) and noticed that Bolton bay is in my treaty what happens when I go down to Bolton and get say 10 pickeral myself. Can I then go out and get another 4 keepers at sand point out of my treaty? What happens when I have 14 pickeral in the livewell? Or at the spot check you guys have at the time zone rest area spot? I have a outdoors card so I can fish out of my treaty:)

[Guest MNR]

Based on the Treaty boundary information that MNR has here in Thunder Bay, (we use the Morris map), when we examine the boundary between Robinson-Superior and Treaty #3, it shows that Lac Des Milles Lacs is wholly situated within the boundary of Treaty 3. This treaty boundary is based on the height of land between two watersheds and there is no part of Lac des Mille Lacs that is in the Robinson-Superior Treaty Area. I have never seen a map that shows anything different so I would be interested in seeing your document.

Several recent higher level court cases have ruled that under certain conditions, a status person may have the right to hunt/fish outside of their treaty area. (see both R. v. Shipman, R. v. Meshake). I would suggest contacting your First Nation or your local MNR office if you wish to find out more about these court cases.

If you were stopped on the highway and claimed that some fish were caught outside of your treaty area and some from within and you produced a valid outdoors card and fishing licence, you would be fine (as long as your catch from outside your treaty area did not conflict with the regulations). You would not be allowed to possess (in the freezer, on the plate, in the live well) more than the possession limit for the species and type of fishing licence you had if they came from outside of your treaty area unless one of the scenarios described in the Shipman or Meshake court cases applied.

If you were on the highway transporting live fish in the live well of the boat, that too would be considered an offence, regardless of where they were caught. In Ontario, you cannot transport live fish without a special permit. This is to prevent people from transplanting fish from one lake to another.

The answers to questions involving First Nation rights tend to be very complicated and fact-specific. It is very difficult to provide short, general answers that cover all potential scenarios, so I would suggest that your best approach in the future when you have questions regarding your rights is to contact your First Nation or your local Ministry of Natural Resources office for a detailed discussion.