Great Lakes Indian

Fish & Wildlife Commission

(GLIFWC)

 

 

 

MSU Sea Grant & Lake Superior fishing tribes partner in NOAA

siscowet lake trout oil extraction study

By Jim Thannum, GLIFWC Planning & Development Director

 

     Michigan State University Sea Grant in partnership with GLIUFWC and the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA) completed a series of meetings with commercial fishermen and fish processors to discuss the Siscowet Lake Trout Extraction Study at Red Cliff's Legendary Waters on June 26th, at Keweenaw Bay's Ojibwa Casino Resort on June 27th, and at Bay Mills Community College on June 28th.
      Dr. Paul Addis, Professor Emeritus, Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, started each meeting with an overview of omega 3 oil production, including barriers to the market, misconceptions and misinformation regarding omega 3 oil, size and scope of the fish oil industry, fish oil recovery processes, fish oil refining, and fish oil stabilization. Dr. Addis also provided a review of studies regarding relationship of omega 3 oils and health including:

• Heart and circulatory benefits including inhibition of thrombosis and vasoconstriction; lowering of blood triacylglycerols (but not cholesterol in every case) and correcting cardiac arrhythmias;
• Brain and eye benefits—(Omega 3 is now being added to infant formulas.); and
• Joint benefits by reducing inflammation.

      Addis also documented that Lake Superior fish contained levels of omega 3 oils equal or above those found in ocean species with siscowet trout containing the highest levels.

 

     Of particular interest in Addis's presentation was the ability of molecular distillation processing to remove chlordane, PCBs and other chemical contaminants from omega 3 oils. Earlier fish contaminant studies conducted by GLIFWC documented siscowet trout over 22 inches exceeded the FDA guidance of .3 ppm of chlordane even when fat was trimmed from fillets. The ability to produce a siscowet trout product that removes chemical contaminants would open new Lake Superior business opportunities.
      Dr. Ron Kinnunen, MSU Sea Grant, presented information on handling, icing and freezing standards required to maintain the quality of fish oil. In addition, information was presented on the variation in siscowet trout lipid (oil) levels found through laboratory testing.
      Biological information on siscowet populations was presented by Bill Mattes, GLIFWC Great Lakes section leader at Red Cliff and Keweenaw Bay and by Mark Ebener, CORA fishery biologist at Bay Mills. The presentations reviewed historical siscowet trout harvest statistics, catch rates by depth, and catch rates using various net mesh sizes.
      After biological information was presented, discussions were held with fishermen to explore regulatory options to ensure a sustainable fishery. A fish oil extraction and refining operation on Lake Superior would require an extensive capital investment so ensuring a sustainable supply adequate to meet production needs is critical for the economic viability of any future operation.
      The meetings ended with a review of bathymetric contour maps of Lake Superior to determine travel distances to fishing grounds and estimates of when weather conditions would permit fishermen to supply siscowet trout. Fishermen were also given the opportunity to provide input into the price per pound they would require, realizing it will only be practical to construct a fish oil plant if fishermen are paid a price that will enable them to stay in business over the long term.
      Having determined the technical feasibility of the project, additional information will need to be compiled including marketing studies and business feasibility analysis in coming months.