Post on 16-Jan-2016
A Description of the Commercial Fishery on Lake Superior in 2000
Mark P. Ebener
Chippewa/Ottawa Resource Authority
Commercial Fishery Harvest Lake Superior, 1867 to 2000
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1867 1877 1887 1897 1907 1917 1927 1937 1947 1957 1967 1977 1987 1997
Mil
lion
s of
Pou
nds
Suckers
Burbot
Salmon
Walleye
Yellow perch
Smelt
Menominee
Chubs
Herring
Whitefish
Siscowet
Lake trout
1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999$0.00
$0.20
$0.40
$0.60
$0.80
$1.00
1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999$0.00
$0.20
$0.40
$0.60
$0.80
$1.00
1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999$0.00
$0.20
$0.40
$0.60
$0.80
$1.00
1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999$0.00
$0.20
$0.40
$0.60
$0.80
$1.00
1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999$0.00
$0.20
$0.40
$0.60
$0.80
$1.00
1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999$0.00
$0.20
$0.40
$0.60
$0.80
$1.00
Whitefish
Lake trout
Siscowet Chubs
Herring Smelt
Price Per Pound, 1981-1999
Commercial Fishery Number of Licenses
1965 U. S. Waters = 542>all state or provincial
1999 U. S. and Canadian Waters = 350>mostly Native American
Changing Nature of Fishery
• 1960s Change in Philosophy by States – Commercial -------> Recreational
• 1970s Re-affirmation of Treaty Rights- re-allocate fisheries to tribes
• 1980s Modernization of Ontario Fishery- reduce # licenses & create ITQs
Commercial Fishery Regulations
• ITQs in Ontario• Harvest Limits (TACs)• Limit on number or length of nets• Minimum mesh size restrictions• Closed seasons, closed areas • Limited Entry• Species limitations• Limits on size and number of vessels
Ice Fishery
Small Gill Net Boat
Large Gill Net Tug
Trap Net Boat
Diagram of Commercial Trap Net
CORA Whitefish Fishery - 1981-1999
Statistic Small boat
Large boat
Trap net
Ice fishery
No. fish 178 232 539 96
Effort 7,600 15,800 4 3,200
CPUE 26 18 140 32
Depth (ft) 39 94 54 70
Nights 2 2 4 3
Commercial Fishery Harvest 1970-2000
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Mil
lion
s of
Pou
nds
Lake Trout
WhitefishHerring
Chubs
Smelt
All others
Location Principle Whitefish Fisheries
Apostle Islands
Thunder Bay
Whitefish Bay
Munising
Keweenaw Bay
North Entry Eastern Ontario
Effort Targeted at Whitefish, 1973-2000
Gill Net
Trap Net
0
5
10
15
20
1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998
Thou
sand
s K
ilom
eter
s of
Gill
Net
0
1
2
3
4
5
Thou
sand
s of
Tra
p N
et L
ifts
Whitefish Catch Rate, 1973-2000
0
40
80
120
160
1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998
Gill
Net
CP
UE
0
40
80
120
160
Tra
p N
et C
PU
ETrap net
Gill net
Change Gill Net Height - CORA
2828
36
3636
5050
50
75
1973-1977 1978-1983 1984-1990 1991-19980%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%Percent of Effort
Years
Whitefish Catch Rate -Meshes Deep
28 36 50 750
1
2
3
4
5
Changes in Gill Net Twine Diameter
28
28
23
23
2323
2020
1973-1977 1978-1983 1984-1990 1991-1998
Years
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%Proportion of Gill Net Effort
Lake Herring
Location of Principle Lake Herring Fisheries
Black Bay
Thunder Bay
Minnesota
Apostle Islands Keweenaw BayWhitefish Bay
Bloater KiyiShortjaw
Lake Superior Chubs
Small Mesh Gill Net Effort
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998
Kil
omet
ers
of G
ill N
et
Catch Rate Herring & Chubs, 1973-2000
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998
CP
UE
(kg
/km
)
Chubs
Herring
Wisconsin Comml Herring FisheryGill Net Mesh Sizes, 1974-2000
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998
Year
Per
cent
of
Eff
ort
3 inch
2 inch
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov DecMonth
CP
UE
75-150 ft
>150 ft
<75 ft
Lake Trout Catch RateLarge Mesh Gill Net Fishery
Large Mesh Gill Net Catch Rate,Lake Trout Forms, 1950-1998
1950 1960 1970 1980 19900
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Kilo
gra
ms
pe
r K
ilom
ete
r
Lean
Siscowet
wildhatcherywild
Summary
1) Size of fishery declining
4) Whitefish primary fishery, herring secondary
5) Gill net effort declining
6) Trap net effort increasing
7) Lake trout harvest declining
3) Prices declining or stable
2) Primarily Native American fishery