Profile of the Current Non-Asian Carp Commercial Fishing Industry on the Illinois River Rob Maher Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Fisheries Commercial Fishing Project Manager
Historic Accounts of Fish Abundance from the Illinois River 1682 Henry de Tony built Fort St. Louis at Starved Rock in the winter of 1682-1683. The French hoped it would become a center of operations for a fur-trading empire. One catfish caught in the Illinois River was of enormous size, furnishing enough meat for a supper for twenty two men. Henry de Tony 1702 Pierre Delliete, a French fur trader, reported that the Illinois River has a great abundance of fish. In good weather, an Illinois Indian could spear as many as sixty of them in a day. 1880 s The common carp, a food fish in Europe, was introduced to the Illinois River. The carp spread quickly in the river. From the information I can get as an official of the Illinois Commercial Fisherman s Association from all points along the Illinois River, the carp have brought in more money than the catch of all other fish combined. Long live the carp! Captain John A. Schulte 1908 More than 2,000 commercial fishermen harvested in excess of 20 million pounds of fish. They produced 10% of the nation s freshwater fish from the river between Hennepin and Grafton. Information from the Illinois State Museum Illinois River Timeline, 1673 to the present
Commercial Fishing is allowed on the Illinois River between the Route 89 Highway bridge in Spring Valley to the confluence of the Mississippi River Commercial Fishing is also allowed in the Sangamon River, the LaMoine River and Macoupin Creek with limited gears and seasons. Map source Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center
1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 Trends in the Number of Fishermen and Total Reported Commercial Fish Harvest 8,000,000 400 P o u n d s o f F i s h 7,000,000 6,000,000 5,000,000 4,000,000 3,000,000 2,000,000 1,000,000 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 N u m b e r o f F i s h e r m e n 0 0 Year Total Pounds Total # Fishermen
Native fishes comprised of 18 different species Pounds of Commercially Harvested Fishes Reported from the Illinois River
1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 Contribution of Buffalo to the Total Commercial Catch of Native Fishes on the Illinois River 2,000,000 1,800,000 1,600,000 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,000,000 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 0 Buffalo Native Fishes
Three species of buffalo found in the Illinois River Bigmouth Buffalo Smallmouth Buffalo Black Buffalo
1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 Contribution of the Catfishes to the Total Commercial Catch of Native Fishes on the Illinois River 2,000,000 1,800,000 1,600,000 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,000,000 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 0 Native Fishes Catfishes
Channel Catfish caught in a hoop net on the Illinois River
Two cubs fans and a flathead catfish
Blue Catfish caught in a hoop net on the Illinois River
1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 Composition of Commercial Catfish Catch on the Illinois River 350,000 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 0 Channel Catfish Flathead Catfish Blue Catfish Bullheads All Catfishes Channel, Flathead and Blue Catfish were not reported as separate species until 1986
Caviar Bearing Fishes Paddlefish Shovelnose Sturgeon Bowfin
1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 Trends in the Reported Harvest of Caviar Bearing Fishes from the Illinois River 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 Bowfin Shovelnose Sturgen Paddlefish
1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 Pounds of American Eel Reported from the Illinois River 250 200 150 100 50 0 American Eel American Eel comprised.001 % of the total commercial catch from 1950-2013
Average Wholesale Price Per Pound Received for the Five Most Important Commercially Harvested Fishes on the Illinois River $0.70 $0.60 $0.50 $0.40 $0.30 $0.20 $0.10 $0.00 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Bighead and Silver Carp Buffalo Common Carp Channel Catfish Grass Carp These 5 species accounted for 96% of the reported harvest from 1986-2103
Trends in the Wholesale Value of the Five Most Important Commercially Harvested Fishes on the Illinois River $900,000 $800,000 $700,000 $600,000 $500,000 $400,000 $300,000 $200,000 $100,000 $0 198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012 Bighead and Silver Carp Buffalo Common Carp Channel Catfish Grass Carp
Conclusions The number of commercial fishermen working the Illinois River has declined dramatically since 1950. Despite this, overall harvest has increased due to improvements in tackle, the use of larger boats and the influx of bighead and silver carp into the Illinois River.
Conclusions Buffalo were the most important component of the commercially harvested native fishes. Channel catfish were the second most important component of the commercially harvested native fishes and were worth nearly as much as buffalo due to a much higher price per pound received. Harvest of native fishes remains an important component of the commercial fishery on the Illinois River.
Conclusions Despite a low price per pound received, bighead and silver carp have become the most valuable component of the commercial fishery on the Illinois River due to the large volumes of fish being caught. Any increase in price per pound received should lead to an increase in overall harvest of bighead and silver carp.
Acknowledgements Dr. John Chick Illinois Natural History Survey, and members of his staff for help with management of the commercial harvest data. Questions?