Commercial Fishery
State, provincial, and tribal authorities license commercial fishing in the Great Lakes, producing important food for the region and beyond. This fishery varies considerably from lake to lake in number of licensed operations, species sought, pounds harvested, and value of the dockside and processed commodity. The number of licensed operations has declined in the United States, but has remained relatively stable in Canada.
The estimated total catch in the U.S. and Canada in 2000 was nearly 55 million pounds (24.9 kilograms). By weight, the species harvested most by commercial operations in the Great Lakes in 2000 were rainbow smelt, lake whitefish, yellow perch, walleye, chubs, white bass, carp, lake trout and lake herring. Lake whitefish, yellow perch and walleye produced the greatest landed value in 2000, estimated at $13.3 million for the U.S. harvest, plus almost $41 million (CDN) for the Canadian catch. However, the processed value is estimated to be at least five times the landed value.
With funding from NOAA National Sea Grant, Michigan Sea Grant is supporting the development of a marketing strategy that enhances the demand for lake whitefish and ensures the sustainability of this important freshwater fishery. See: Website
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