GSGP Launches 100% Great Lakes Sportfish - Walnut Creek Marina sportfish cleaning station first in region to join
Operated by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Walnut Creek joins regional initiative to use every part of the fish and reduce waste
(Erie County, Pennsylvania)--The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) and the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers (GSGP) announced today that the Walnut Creek Fish Cleaning Station has signed the Governors’ and Premiers’ 100% Great Lakes Fish Pledge. The Station is the 45th pledge signatory and the first sportfish cleaning station to join the regional initiative.
As part of the pledge, Walnut Creek will work alongside other participating organizations to promote the full use of each fish caught, raised, or processed in or from the Great Lakes region. This includes helping to raise awareness of opportunities for innovative applications for fish byproducts, including compost, fertilizer, protein, marine collagen, leather, or other new, high value products.
The pledge is part of the 100% Great Lakes Fish initiative created by GSGP, an organization representing the Governors of the Great Lakes States and the Canadian Premiers of Ontario and Québec. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro serves as GSGP’s Chair.
PFBC and GSGP are also planning to cooperate in the coming months on a pilot effort related to fish byproducts at Walnut Creek. The pilot would explore practical approaches for handling material from sportfish cleaning stations and identifying productive uses for it as part of the broader 100% Great Lakes Fish initiative.
Sportfish cleaning stations are an important part of the Great Lakes region’s recreational fishing economy, providing convenient places for anglers to process fish. They collectively handle substantial volumes across the region. But, only about 40% of each fish (the fillets) are usually eaten or productively used. In contrast, the remaining 60% of the fish is often relegated to inexpensive uses or discarded. The 100% Great Lakes Fish initiative seeks new and innovative ways to fully use each fish 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.
“Pennsylvania anglers care deeply about our fisheries, and this commitment reflects that ethic,” said Tim Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. “By making Walnut Creek the first fish cleaning station to sign the 100% Great Lakes Fish Pledge, we are setting a clear expectation that fish byproduct should be handled responsibly and, wherever possible, put to productive use.”
“Welcoming fish cleaning stations into the 100% Great Lakes Fish Pledge is an important next step for the region,” said David Naftzger, Executive Director of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers. “Walnut Creek is helping lead by example, showing how sportfish sites can be part of a more efficient system that reduces waste, supports local solutions, and strengthens Great Lakes fisheries.”
More information on 100% Great Lakes Fish, including a copy of the Pledge, is available at htps://gsgp.org/projects/100-great-lakes-fish/
To read the full press release, click here.
