Lakon Williams runs the family-owned Bay Port Fish Company in Bay Port, Michigan that she took over for her parents. She grew up watching her mom and dad’s work ethic and love for fish, and today she treats fishing with special care and admiration.
But in the past 15 years, fish populations have changed, and the business isn’t like it used to be. The only revenue source for Bay Port Fish Company now is whitefish, Williams said.
A Michigan State University study from 2020 shows that whitefish make up about 95% of the sales for commercial fisheries in Michigan.
At the same time, whitefish have been declining dramatically over the past two decades in the Great Lakes because of invasive species, said Sharon Moen, a food-fish outreach coordinator for the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.
Commercial fisheries used to catch about 7.5 million pounds of whitefish annually in Lake Michigan in the 1990s, according to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. Annually for the past three years, it’s been below two million pounds.
The total value that commercial fisheries receive for whitefish has remained stagnant since the 1990s, which is over $4 million.
During the period, the whitefish wholesale price has increased by 312%, according to the data provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
But what fisheries can do today to help their bottom line is try and maximize the value off their whitefish catch, Moen said. She said special parts of whitefish such as skin, tails and eyeballs can be sold to supplement other products such dog treats, makeup and even energy drinks.
“Anytime we can cut down on waste is a good thing on our planet,” she said. “If there were an opportunity to produce value-added products ... and giving fishers opportunities to sell the unusual parts of the fish to different businesses, I think would help our coastal communities thrive.”
That's what the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers, a nonprofit of political leaders in the Great Lakes, is trying to do through research and investments.
Three years ago, the organization started the 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative (formerly known as the 100% Whitefish Initiative), said John Schmidt, the program’s manager.
What is the 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative?
Schmidt said the organization took a trip to Iceland over three years ago and learned about Ocean Cluster’s 100% Fish Project, which inspired them to start the 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative.
As WCMU previously reported, Iceland Ocean Cluster estimated a single whitefish can make $3,500 worth of products.
What the 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative does now is researching ways to create additional value from whitefish and educating fishermen, Schmidt said.
One of the supporters of this initiative is the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, said Ethan Baker, chair of the commission. Baker said he is excited about the benefits it can bring to the Great Lakes.
“That is a huge opportunity for economic gain, for ecological and environmental gain, and frankly, it just feels right,” Baker said. “Waste is such an awful thing in this country."
Today nearly 40 fishers across the Great Lakes signed a pledge to the initiative.
Selling fish waste
Big Stone Bay Fishery also signed the 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative pledge, but VanOrman said this wasn’t much of a change from what they have already been doing.
For the past 20 years, Big Stone Bay Fishery has been sending their waste product to the Dramm company in Wisconsin to make fertilizer.
“To hear a couple years ago how it was going to add money back to everybody's pocket, sounds good, but I still haven't seen it in my end," VanOrman said.
Charles Henriksen with Henriksen’s Fish House in Ellison Bay, Wisconsin has had a similar case. He signed the 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative pledge about a year and a half ago and said it was a great idea, but it hasn’t yet affected his business.
Henriksen’s Fish House has been sending out their waste for fertilizer for about 30 years.
“Creating some more value-added products from parts of the fish that aren't being used for much right now would be great,” Henriksen said. “To us, to the fishermen ... a couple bucks from every fish would be a huge help to us. That would help the bottom line.”
Williams said that she loves the idea of the 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative as well, but currently Bay Port Fish Company isn’t committed to it because there isn’t a guarantee that there will be market interest for the different parts of the fish.
"It’s amazing what can be done," Williams said. "But there's currently no structure right now in Michigan to get rid of 100% of our waste.”
However, she said she would support the initiative if the market for fish collagen and various other fish parts comes to Michigan and the Midwest.
Schmidt with the 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative said that for now, the organization has been working on research and identifying opportunities for investments. He also acknowledged organization is cognizant of the challenges, but said they’re optimistic about what can be done in future.
"This idea of 100% fish hasn't really existed in our region before, which is why we're trying to develop the value chains and work out what the different products are that could work for our region,” Schmidt said. “While it's true that ... the number of opportunities to fully utilize this fish by product is growing, we still have a long way to go.”
