Officials push for major change to longstanding US fishing practice: 'Not always favorable in terms of your business'

A couple of decades ago, Lake Michigan's whitefish population was one of state pride, but numbers have dropped drastically.

According to Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR), the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recommended strict limits on commercial fishing in the area to preserve and restore the current whitefish population.

The article stated that the number of whitefish over three years old in the lake exceeded 60 million 20 years ago, and that number has now declined by at least 75%.

While overfishing is an issue in other areas, such as Hawai'i, the main culprits behind dwindling fish populations in Lake Michigan are invasive mussel species that have infiltrated the lake.

These zebra and quagga mussels have disrupted water sources across the country, including the Colorado River and the Snake River in Idaho.

"It's not a fishing impact," said Todd Stuth of Baileys Harbor Fish Company. "It's basically a complete ecologically based decline in whitefish stocks." 

Similar bans and restrictions have been implemented worldwide to protect specific animal populations and prevent biodiversity loss, much as the DNR proposed. 

When entire species are threatened, so are their ecosystems. Local food webs can be disrupted, and humans can be impacted by ripple effects felt through the food supply and related local economies.

The goal of the commercial fishing limit in Lake Michigan is to maintain the current population, as solutions to other issues, such as invasive species, are decided upon. 

While local fishers like Stuth understand the reasons for the cap, they know it will impact their current operations.

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"At some point you have to realize that you have to do some things that are not always favorable in terms of your business, but it is favorable in terms of the resource," Stuth said. 

"Sustainability is the key to any long-lasting commercial fishery, and we want to make sure that we are 100% sustainable," he continued.

The DNR plans to bring this proposed fishing limit to the Natural Resources Board in December.

By educating yourself on critical climate issues, such as biodiversity loss affecting whitefish populations, you can learn about the environmental concerns in your area and take local action to address them.

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