10 Treaty Commercial Fishery Tribal commercial fisheries are key contributors to a Great Lakes economy. They provide income for fishers and their families as well as for broader markets that meet demands of health-conscious consumers. Tribal fisheries supply stores, restaurants, and wholesalers—some of which are owned by Tribes or their members—with fresh fish, smoked fish, and value-added products such as fish spread. Tribes tightly regulate their Great Lakes commercial fisheries through laws that establish seasons, gear requirements, locational restrictions, harvest limits, and reporting requirements. They also extensively monitor and assess fish populations. Biologists generate data and reports on fish size, growth, mortality, and abundance. They also collect eggs, implant tags, and conduct other research. Tribes license both larger fishing tugs, like this one, and smaller boats that engage in commercial fishing on the Great Lakes. Key species that support this important economic activity include whitefish, lake trout, perch, walleye, and other cool-water species that are in high demand by health-conscious consumers. The herring roe market is international, with exports heading to Scandinavian countries to supplement a fishery that collapsed there in the 1990s. Tribal biologists undertake extensive Great Lakes fish assessments in coordination with their state and federal counterparts, such as this juvenile assessment in Lake Superior. Resulting data are used to establish necessary regulations, as well as to estimate population size and allowable harvest levels for both tribal and non-tribal fisheries.