Is commercial fishing in Door County destined to disappear?
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There can be no debate that the long history of commercial fishing on the Great Lakes has played a vital role in the economic well-being and development of the region. It has been called “the last of the hunting professions,” and it requires a special type of individual and a dedication to a lifestyle that can be both rewarding and challenging.
In Door County the profession remains an integral part of the community. Visitors to the peninsula come expecting fresh local whitefish in our restaurants and it is our local commercial fishermen who provide these fish.
What can be debated is the industry’s future. Commercial fishing faces some significant challenges, many of which have been documented by author Dennis Trygvie Jensen in his book, Wooden Ships and Iron Men, History of Commercial Fishing in Northern Lake Michigan & Door County 1850 – 2005.
Jensen grew up on Washington Island with family ties to the commercial fishing industry. At one time almost half of the island’s population was employed in the commercial fishing industry, he notes, with more than 40 gill netting tugs and an equal number of fisheries calling the island home. Through the years, however, these numbers have dwindled, on both the island and the Great Lakes as a whole.
“In 1900 there were about 400 fisheries on Lake Michigan and the Bay of Green Bay,” Jensen stated. “Today that number has dropped to about 65.”
Indeed, one of the motivations driving Jensen to write his book and collect the stories commercial fishermen had to tell was the concern that the industry (and a way of life) was dying out.
“Traditionally, the fisheries were passed down from one generation to the next,” Jensen said, “but there just isn’t that same interest in the younger generations. The commercial fishermen of today are aging and without young people – particularly family members – who are willing to pursue this career, it could die out in the next 20 years.
“Adding to the problem is that the cost of getting into the industry is extremely high. So no one is starting a new fishery. Today there is just one commercial fishing operation on Washington Island.”
Commercial fisherman Rick Johnson concurs with Jensen on the cost. “A trap net can run $10,000,” he said. “Then you begin adding in anchors, lines, your boat, dockage, etc. – it becomes a significant investment before you catch your first fish.”
Like Jensen, Johnson sees the aging of those who ply the trade and the lack of younger individuals becoming involved in fishing as the biggest obstacle to the industry continuing. But it is not the only obstacle.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources proudly reported recently that the whitefish population – particularly in the Bay of Green Bay – was increasing and that the whitefish were now spawning in tributaries to the Bay where they had not spawned in almost 20 years. This return to spawning grounds is a tribute to the success of efforts to clean our rivers and streams and would seem to be an extremely positive turn for commercial fisherman.
“I hate to sound like a pessimist,” Johnson stated, “but the problem of food for the fish to eat and grow remains.”
The explosion of two invasive species, zebra mussels and then quagga mussels, has starved the lake of the traditional food of whitefish. But another commercial fisherman, Charlie Henriksen, is confident in the ability of the whitefish to adapt, citing reports that the fish has changed its diet to consume other fish.
Henriksen, unlike most of his fellow fishermen, has additional reason to be optimistic: his 22-year-old son, Will, is now working with him and will likely take over the business when Charlie decides to finally retire.
“Will has a natural aptitude,” Henriksen said, “and he’s learning the business side of the operation. He’s already better at some things than I ever was and I have every reason to believe that when I finally stop doing this I will leave him a good position with a viable business.”
Rick Johnson seems to concur with father Henriksen’s assessment: “I’d hire Will in an instant if he was available,” Johnson said.
Both Johnson and Henriksen agree that one of the current problems they face is the lack of fish north of Chambers Island. Henrikson has been traveling to the southern portion of the bay, which is a separate fishing zone and is quota controlled. Once again, the problem seems to be the lack of food for the fish in the north.
But Henriksen maintains his optimism. “Things change quickly in the lake. If the guys who taught me this business were still around and I told them how we are fishing today and where we are fishing they would just shake their heads and look at me like I was crazy.”
There can be no doubt that the challenges facing commercial fisheries are considerable. The lack of young people willing to pursue the career may be of most concern, but the ever-changing character and ecology of the lake presents significant problems, as well. The one aspect of the industry that Jensen, Henriksen and Johnson all agree on, however, is that consumers will always demand fresh-caught fish from local fishermen.
“We are food producers,” Henriksen commented, “and we take a lot of pride in the food we put into the local restaurants and on families’ tables. I know that this life isn’t for everyone, but the chance to be outdoors and out on the water … I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.”