Commercial fishing creates Lake Erie stir

[Spiel]

Commercial fishing creates Lake Erie stir

 

July 6, 2010

JAMES PROFFITT / www.portclintonnewsherald.com

PORT CLINTON -- Ask most Lake Erie anglers about commercial fishing and the nets they set on the lake, and they definitely have opinions.

"I always wonder why they let then net perch that have eggs in them," said Ron Caswell, a Wellington man who has been fishing the shores of Lake Erie and the lake itself for almost half a century.

Caswell said he's also concerned about commercial netters picking up walleye during the spawn.

"I think they snag and catch a lot of walleye with eggs in them," Caswell said.

But commercial fisherman Rich Stinson, who manages Port Clinton Fisheries, said although he and other netters in Ohio catch many perch and walleye, they keep only legal sized perch and no walleye. Stinson said every walleye is thrown back, right away.

"Not a single one's kept," he said.

But mostly, said Stinson, commercial fishermen keep sheephead, mullet, shad, catfish, white bass and white perch.

"Most of the fish we catch people aren't even fishing for," he said. "They're considered trash fish."

Stinson's boats, which dock on the Portage River, catch fish that end up on tables from coast to coast.

"Gold carp, redhorse and bullhead are popular," he said. "A lot are sold to the oriental markets in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco."

When asked if his crew members ever keep a few walleye, Stinson balked.

"Cut your tongue out," he said emphatically.

According to Stinson, most of the fish caught are iced whole and shipped out right away, especially whitefish.

"Our Lake Erie whitefish they won't grind," said Stinson, going on to explain the that processors will grind whitefish for Lake Huron and Lake Superior to make ethnic Jewish foods because they're not as tender and tasty as those from Lake Erie. "Our fish are smoked whole."

Stinson said by far, commercial fishermen in Ohio catch and sell more rough fish than yellow perch.

"Ninety percent or more of our catch is rough fish," he said.

But Mike Zawadski, an avid Lake Erie angler and Danbury Township resident, said he still doesn't feel good about commercial anglers on the lake.

"It's an unfair advantage for the fishermen netting," he said.

"I really think it takes away from the average fishermen."

On the upside, Zawadski said, the the commercial angling does help keep the population of bottom feeders down. But, he said, the nets are a nuisance to boaters and anglers. "Especially at night," he said, "when it's pretty easy for boaters to get tangled in nets."

Zawadski said getting caught in nets can get tricky. And Stinson agreed. "The nets are handmade," he said, "you can't buy them at Walmart."

Stinson said a single vessel stuck in a net, which boaters free by cutting the net, can be expensive. And, he said, boaters can be billed for the costs, plus cited by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

That's why the commercial fishermen pull their nets around the holidays. "Typically we pull the nets for the heavy traffic," Stinson said.

Ohio Department of Natural resources biologist Mike Tyson said commercial fishing on Lake Erie is tightly controlled, including when yellow perch can be caught. "Yellow perch can be caught May through December," said Tyson, adding there are restrictions on locations. "Some restrictions are seasonal, others are permanent."

Tyson said quotas are set for commercial fishermen based on scientist's observations. And there are no quotas on rough fish.

According to Stinson, less than 10 percent of his catch is yellow perch. And Zawadski said that's good. "I'm alright with that, especially the bottom-feeding fish," he said. "We spend a lot of money on bait and fuel."