DNR reports mixed trends and market pressures in Lake Michigan and Lake Superior commercial fisheries
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Summary
Department staff updated the board on 2024 commercial-fish harvests and management: Lake Michigan showed declining lake whitefish harvest but higher Green Bay yields, the lake-trout scope statement will not proceed now, and the trawling rule for whitefish continues. Lake Superior reported strong 2022 year classes for whitefish, cisco and chubs but
The Department of Natural Resources on Oct. 22 briefed the Natural Resources Board on the current status of commercial fisheries in Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, reporting divergent trends across lakes and species and several management and market developments.
Lake Michigan summary: Carson Cisneros, Great Lakes specialist in the Bureau of Fisheries Management, reported overall declines in Lake Michigan lake-whitefish harvest but rising harvest in Green Bay. Cisneros said Green Bay harvest has increased while open-Lake Michigan harvest has trended lower; both areas were below quota in 2024. The department noted 34 individual commercial fishers hold 48 Lake Michigan licenses.
Trawling and lake-trout review: Cisneros said a trawling rule that legalized trawling for lake whitefish in certain Lake Michigan areas, originally adopted with a sunset, was revised to remove the sunset and went into effect Oct. 1, 2025. The department also reviewed stakeholder work on a lake-trout scope statement; after reviewing hundreds of public comments and stakeholder input, the department determined it would not pursue commercial harvest of lake trout under the scope statement at this time but will continue rehabilitation work and data collection and maintain dialogue with the commercial-fishing board.
Lake Superior summary: Brad Ray, Lake Superior fisheries team supervisor, and Craig Hoopman, chair of the Lake Superior Commercial Fishing Board, reported that Lake Superior fisheries are in a strong condition driven by an exceptionally large 2022 year class. Whitefish and cisco (lake herring) abundance is high and catch rates have improved; on the other hand, Hoopman said market conditions are constraining cisco harvest this fall because international buyers are saturated, forcing prices so low that fishers cannot cover operating costs. Hoopman said that as a result there may be limited or no state cisco fishery this season despite biological abundance.
Monitoring and management notes: Lake Superior management sets quotas for lake trout and cisco and manages whitefish by effort limitations; staff said the department is working with tribal partners on quota methodology and anticipates a more efficient quota/adjustment process in 2027. Both Lake Michigan and Lake Superior presenters described ongoing collaboration with stakeholders and the commercial-fishing boards on next steps and data needs; commercial representatives raised concerns about reporting systems and local staffing for monitoring work.
Public and board reaction: board members and commercial representatives commended the department for data-driven approaches and urged continued collaboration on quotas, monitoring and market issues.