Commercial Fishing

The yellow perch has been declining for decades in Saginaw Bay as a result of a rapid growth of walleyes. Local commerical fisheries say that has caused struggles for their business.

The bill, introduced in the state legislature last week, could allow commercial harvest of once off-limit game fish like walleye, yellow perch and lake trout.

One commercial fishing operation in Huron County has stopped harvesting yellow perch in Saginaw Bay and is attributing it to walleye.

State officials and researchers have been projecting the decline of Michigan's lake whitefish population for several years. However, it is getting worse at a rate they did not see coming.

A protected bird that’s terrorized Michigan fisheries and wildlife ecosystems for decades is now under a new management system.

In a scathing letter, several Michigan legislators urged the state Department of Natural Resources to renew all commercial fishing licenses and permits…