Law
Tribal members fined for fishing without license


Two members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts were fined and had their harvest confiscated for shellfishing without a state license.

The state says Vernon "Buddy" Pocknett and Aaron Hendricks violated fishing limits on Cape Cod. But they say they were merely exercising their aboriginal rights.

The courts in Massachusetts have ruled that the tribe never gave up its hunting and fishing rights. Chairman Glenn Marshall said the tribe may have to go to court again to clear up the latest dispute.

Get the Story:
Tribal fishing rights asserted in Barnstable (The Upper Cape Codder 2/24)

Relevant Links:
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe - http://mashpeewampanoagtribe.com

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Wampanoag man arrested in lobster catch incident (07/14)