Tag Archives: Pickerel
Meet the families working to keep fisheries alive on Lake Ontario and Lake Erie
Lake Erie fisherman Tim Martin knows that his business has helped strengthen local food systems. He and his four family members harvest and process their own fish, then sell it at their retail location in Port Burwell, Ont. During the pandemic, when global supply chains buckled and grocery store shelves were wiped clean, the family was able to stay in business. They experienced a heavy rush of local customers, most of whom, Martin says, have become loyal regulars. Yet in Port Burwell, where the Martins have operated for more than 30 years, they are the only permanent commercial fishing business that remains. Deteriorating infrastructure on the waterfront and a high cost of entry into the fishery fails to support any aspiring newcomers. Here are three families still working in the Great Lakes commercial fishing industry in Ontario,,, photos, >click to read< 09:23
Lake Huron – Thriving family fishery spans 2 centuries, 5 generations
Tim Purdy gets a little emotional when he talks about his son Josiah becoming the fifth generation to work at the family fishery in Point Edward. “It’s good to see your kids want to be involved,” Purdy says. Though proud his son is part of a thriving business that’s operated for nearly 120 years, he’s worried too. “We’re trying to figure out how to stop the Asian carp,”,,, >click to read< 18:07
New Season For Lake Erie Fleet
The largest fresh water commercial fishery is located in Wheatley on the shores of Lake Erie. Pickerel, or walleye, and perch are the main commercial species sought after by the Lake Erie fleet of fishing vessels. The fleet, however, is a collection of boats, known as fish tugs, working the lake for a number of different processors centered in Wheatley, like Cavendish, Loop, Presteve, and Taylor. The fleet of almost 45 boats returned to the lake about three weeks ago after the winter hiatus. Over 2 million pounds of perch will be harvested from Lake Erie this year and almost 6 million individual pickerel. >click for photos< 12:05
