Step into the world of commercial fishing in Lake Michigan, where deep-rooted tradition meets a rapidly changing environment. This episode traces the importance of whitefish, the effects of rising water temperatures, and the challenges facing fishing families as they navigate shifting policies and climate pressures. Hear how the future of a generational industry hangs in the balance and what's at stake for the communities that depend on it.

Episode Transcript

Episode Guide

• 00:00 Intro to In Hot Water, Great Lakes Edition
• 02:14 Karen Murchie, director of freshwater research at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois, shares the importance of freshwater ecosystems and the food they produce (but it's a misnomer to call it "seafood!")
• 07:20 A generational Great Lakes fishery steeped in tradition - meet Lakon Williams, operations manager and owner of Bayport Fish Company, a historic fishery on Michigan's Saginaw Bay
• 11:14 Whitefish: a critically important fish in Lake Michigan's commercial fishery
• 16:25 Lakon shares the history of commercial fishing in Lake Michigan and her frustrations about its historical and current management
• 23:23 Recreational fisheries influence the management of fisheries resources
• 28:12 According to the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit, the Great Lakes show a trend toward higher water temperatures Lakon shares how that is affecting the fishery
• 34:21 The Department of Natural Resources and their relationship with the commercial fishing companies
• 38:06 The Great Lakes' fishing industry is in "dire straits"
• 41;32 While not great for the native fish of the lakes, the introduced species Asian carp, or copi, represents a market opportunity
• 43:12 Lakon ends the episode sharing that while she hopes to leave a thriving and sustainable business to her family's third generation, she's wary of the future

Resources

1. 1. Recommend this series to anyone who enjoys seafood and is curious about how climate change is affecting our seafood-producing regions.