Looking for Fresh Fish Around the Great Lakes

The Great Lakes were once a popular commercial fishing location with a number of successful operations that have faded out in the last century. As with many things within our environment we overfished, over ate, and didn't consider alternative sources until things sort of dried up. Other locations such as San Diego have brought back parts of their commercial fishing industry and I suspect so can the Great Lakes with improvements in technology and coordinated environmental strategies. 

Diving with Fish

(Not to mention I still have a fantasy dream of buying a small commercial fishing/diving vessel and working a couple of days a week fishing for a local store or two. I know its sort of silly but I figure it would get me on the water and with updates in technology I can bring my lap top. Its a little like owning a small nostalgic hobby farm or hardware store. I know...not for everyone! 🎣).

(Ok sorry...I was dreaming of growing a long beard and putting on rubber overalls.  Let us get back to the essential purpose of the post. Where do You find locally sourced fish?)

In collaboration the Minnesota Sea Grant and the Sea Grant programs in Illinois-Indiana, Michigan (Sea Grant Michigan), Ohio, New York, Vermont/Lake Champlain and Wisconsin created a website for people looking for fresh and farm raised fish around the Great Lakes. 

Here it is! Fresh Fish Finder 

Kind of a Side Note. Delta County Michigan once had a thriving commercial fishing industry. There are a number of small fishing villages outside the city of Escanaba Michigan (Thinking Wells for example). You can learn more about the local industry at Delta County Historical Society (They also would take a donation I'm sure if your into investing in understanding our past so we can understand our future. Go ahead and get in contact with them. Also I do a little shipwreck diving so I support historical and archeological type institutions.)

You can learn about the long closed Hansen & Jensen Fish House in Escanaba and some of the fishing boat fleet they maintained. 

You may also want to reach about the Michigan Senate commercial fishing licenses Daily Press article '

Senate approves commercial fishing reform bill' and Michigan Senate Bill 0251 sponsored by Senator Ed McBroom (UP Senator)