Various products can be made from parts of the fish that are not for human consumption. GSGP
What's happening: Thirteen companies around the Great Lakes region have entered into a new pact that will cut down waste from processing harvested fish in the area. VanLandschoot and Sons, Inc ., out of Munising is the only company from the Upper Peninsula to join the pact, which is expected to greatly increase the value of whitefish caught by the company.
What is the pact: Established by the Conference of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers (GSGP), a body that consists of governors and premiers of U.S. states and Canadian provinces, the "100% Great Lakes Fish" initiative, promotes the use of non-filet parts of the fish in other products like marine collagen or fertilizer. Six Ontario businesses, five from Wisconsin, two from Minnesota and one from each peninsula of Michigan have joined the pact, making it one of the largest product resources pacts in the freshwater commercial fishing industry.
What they're saying: “As a fifth-generation family business and the oldest commercial fisher on Lake Superior, we recognize the integral role we play in the community,” said Dennis VanLandschoot, president of VanLandschoot & Sons Fish Market. “Our fish feeds tens of thousands of locals and tourists alike, and we look forward to developing new ways to use 100 percent of our fish in order to share the bounty of Lake Superior with the world.”
What's next: Various new techniques will be put into place to create alternative products and to find an appropriate market. Estimates have shown that the value of one fish could jump from $12 to $4,000, according to the GSGP.
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