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Catch rate in 1997 was 13.3, close to the highest catch rate of 14.7 recorded in 1986
Michigan anglers, fishing the waters of Lake Michigan experienced some the best salmon and trout fishing in over a decade, according to MDNR 1997 prelimiary data.
Michigan's annual creel census shows anglers this year spent more time fishing in Lake Michigan than in 1996 , catch rate for salmonids was the second best since 1986 and the second best since the state began keeping track in 1985, according to Michigan Department of Natural Resources data.
Some of the this year's best Lake Michigan sport fishing was offshore of the Muskegon-Grand Haven area. Anglers caught 49,000 chinook salmon between Port Sheldon and Pentwater, nearly double the number landed in 1996. And they caught nearly 10 times more coho salmon as they did the previous year, according to DNR data.
Michigan Charter captains saw an increase in bookings as well, boosting the best fishing in over a decade.
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Overall, anglers caught 374,355 salmon and trout this year in Michigan's portion of Lake Michigan, far below the 1.02 million salmon and trout caught in the lake in 1986, the best year ever recorded by the government.
Although the amount of time anglers spend fishing in Lake Michigan has increased in the past two years, it lags far behind the record number of hours spent fishing in 1986. In 1986, anglers spent 7.2 million hours fishing in Lake Michigan, compared to 3.1 million hours this year.
Despite decreased angler effort compared to the mid-1980s, the DNR data shows the Lake Michigan salmon fishery has made a significant rebound since 1988, when BKD killed thousands of salmon .
The catch rate this year for Lake Michigan salmon and trout (fish caught per 100 hours of angler effort) was 13.3, close to the highest catch rate of 14.7 recorded in 1986, according to the DNR report.
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 Two New York commercial fishermen had their commercial fishing licenses revoked and were fined and placed on five years probation for illegally selling contaminated eels taken from Lake Ontario. The eels were subsequently pickled and shipped to eastern European markets. Paul Segoin of La Fargeville and Larry Coming of Chaumont each pleaded guilty to illegal commercialization of fish. The pleas resulted from an 18-month investigation that showed that Segoin and Coming sold hundreds of eels from Lake Ontario to a local firm, which in turn sold them to Waterfresh, Inc. of Picton, Ontario. Waterfresh is currently under federal indictment in the case. Segoin and Coming will surrender their fishing licenses and agree never to obtain another commercial fishing license in New York. They also received five years probation. Coming was fined $2,500 and Segoin $1,000. |
Sheldon Kratchman, a fish wholesaler who owns Delaware Valley Fish Co. in
Norristown, Pa also pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy charges related
to illegal commercial trafficking of prohibited fish. Court documents
showed Kratchman may have been dealing in tainted fish for 14 years.
Delaware Valley Fish Co. agreed to pay a $175,000 fine.
Waterfresh Foods, Inc. and driver Michael A. Porter, also of Picton, were
charged with criminal conspiracy and illegal commercial trafficking in
fish and wildlife. A NY conservation officer seized Porter's truck in
West Monroe, NY with 381 lb. of American Eels and 1,608 lb. of walleye
mixed in with other legally caught fish.
Although the American Eel has made a dramatic recovery from previous over
harvesting, commercial harvesting and sales of American Eels is prohibited
by federal law because of levels of PCBs and Mirex that exceed FDA
allowable limits. |
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