Big Stone Bay Fishery Joins 100% Great Lakes Fish Pledge

Big Stone Bay Fishery today signed on to the “100% Great Lakes Fish Pledge,” publicly committing to use 100% of each commercially caught Great Lakes fish productively by 2025. As part of the pledge, the company will also help communicate to other companies in the fish supply chain about opportunities for innovative applications for fish byproducts including compost, fertilizer, protein, marine collagen, leather, or other new, high-value products.

Big Stone Bay Fishery joins Michigan-based Treaty Fish Co., Carlson’s Fishery, First Catch LLC, Motor City Seafood and VanLandschoot & Sons Fish Market that previously signed the pledge, bringing participation from Michigan to six companies. 26 companies overall have now signed the pledge.

This pledge is part of the 100% Great Lakes Fish initiative created by the Conference of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers (GSGP), an organization representing the Governors of the Great Lakes States and the Canadian Premiers of Ontario and Québec. 

“We are excited to welcome Big Stone Bay Fishery to the 100% Great Lakes Fish Pledge. Their commitment to sustainability and vision for innovative uses for fish byproducts sets an example for others in the industry,” David Naftzger, Executive Director of GSGP, said. “Their participation strengthens our collective efforts to protect and utilize the Great Lakes’ resources wisely.”

The Great Lakes are home to sizeable commercial fisheries, but only the fillets of these fish are usually eaten while the remaining 60% of the fish is often relegated to inexpensive uses or discarded. The 100% Great Lakes Fish initiative seeks to find new and innovative ways to use the whole fish in order to reduce waste, create more value and jobs, and support rural economic development. Iceland pioneered this approach and has seen the value of products made from each cod skyrocket from $12 for just the filet to a remarkable $5,000 for products including cosmetics, medical bandages, nutritional supplements and a range of other products.

“We at Big Stone Bay are proud to join the 100% Great Lakes Fish Pledge. Our ongoing efforts to minimize waste and maximize the use of each fish align well with this new initiative,” said Cameron McMurry, Owner of Big Stone Bay Fishery. “We look forward to exploring innovative opportunities to create value from every part of the fish.”

Companies participating in the 100% Great Lakes Fish Pledge include:

Read the pledge here.