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

Map source – Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center

Commercial Fishing is also allowed in the Sangamon River, the LaMoine River and Macoupin Creek with limited gears and seasons.

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

0

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

8,000,000

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

N

u

m

b

e

r

o

f

F

i

s

h

e

r

m

e

n

P

o

u

n

d

s

o

f

F

i

s

h

Year

Trends in the Number of Fishermen and Total Reported

Commercial Fish Harvest

Total Pounds Total # Fishermen

Pounds of Commercially Harvested Fishes Reported from the Illinois River

Native fishes comprised of 18 different species

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

1,800,000

2,000,00019

50

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

Buffalo Native Fishes

Three species of buffalo found in the Illinois River

Bigmouth Buffalo

Smallmouth Buffalo

Black Buffalo

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

1,800,000

2,000,000

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

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

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

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

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

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,00019

50

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

Bowfin Shovelnose Sturgen Paddlefish

0

50

100

150

200

250

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

American Eel

American Eel comprised .001 % of the total commercial catch from 1950 - 2013

$0.00

$0.10

$0.20

$0.30

$0.40

$0.50

$0.60

$0.70

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

Average Wholesale Price Per Pound Received for the Five Most Important

Commercially Harvested Fishes on the Illinois River

Bighead and Silver Carp Buffalo Common Carp Channel Catfish Grass Carp

These 5 species accounted for 96% of the reported harvest from 1986-2103

$0

$100,000

$200,000

$300,000

$400,000

$500,000

$600,000

$700,000

$800,000

$900,000

198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012

Trends in the Wholesale Value of the Five Most Important Commercially Harvested

Fishes on the Illinois River

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.

Questions ?

Acknowledgements Dr. John Chick – Illinois Natural History Survey, and members of his staff for help with management of the commercial harvest data.