Central Huron Mayor Appointed as an Advisor to the Fisheries Commission of the Great Lakes

by Bob Montgomery

Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn has been appointed as an advisor to the Fisheries Commission of the Great Lakes.

Ginn explains the Canadian advisers will advise the Canadian Commissioners and the American advisers will advise the American Commissions but they meet as a group to primarily discuss things like fish stocks. “What's increasing in numbers, what's decreasing in numbers, what's stable and what's threatened and invasive species. Gin says they also look at catch limits, depending on what the stocks are doing determines how much quota is given out to commercial fishermen.”

Ginn says invasive species continues to be a major concern and then some stocks, like lake trout, are increasing and that's a concern because lake trout are not a commercially viable fish like walleye or perch so they try to keep the stocks in balance by adding stock where they're needed.

Ginn says the Asian carp was a major concern several years ago but so far it has been prevented from entering Lake Michigan because of the barriers that have been erected in the Mississippi River. But he says there is still some discussion about closing the connection between that river and the lake permanently before the Asian carp does get into the Great Lakes.

Ginn says the stock of the various species is always fluctuating and their job is to monitor the fluctuation and advise the commissioners whenever the stocks are out of balance.