Article published August 25, 2005
Petro urges U.S. court to dismiss tribe's suit seeking fishing rights
BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU
COLUMBUS - Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro yesterday asked the U.S. District Court in Toledo to throw out the Oklahoma-based Ottawa Tribe's claim to unrestricted hunting and fishing rights off North Bass Island in Lake Erie.
The motion for dismissal argues that the tribe's lawsuit improperly hinges its claim on treaties ratified by the United States in 1805.
"The only reference in those treaties that dealt with hunting and fishing rights dealt with rights south of what is now Akron in Summit County," Mr. Petro said.
The tribe sued at the end of June in hopes of establishing a commercial fishing operation on the island. Later this year, it plans a second suit claiming outright ownership of 300 acres on the northern portion of the island, which the tribe claims was part of Canada when Native American tribes surrendered their land to the United States under the Treaty of Fort Industry.
The undeveloped land was purchased by the state from Paramount Distillers two years ago for $17.4 million.
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