Ben Garbacz/DMG
Peterson’s Fish Market and Four Suns Fish & Chips on US 41 just north of Hancock.
HANCOCK – A Hancock fish market and restaurant are experiencing some difficulties with inventory from continuous windy conditions on Lake Superior.
The storms and continuous wind this spring and summer are creating issues with hazardous conditions out on the water as well as hindering the efficiency of the nets used by Peterson’s Fish Market’s fishing boats.
Business has been good overall this year and there is still fish available at the market and restaurant, but the freezers of reserve whitefish and trout are empty.
“The winter was an anomaly,” said Tammi Peterson, manager of Four Suns Fish and Chips restaurant.
“We didn’t have the ice freezing us in, and we were able to get out consistently. Now it’s been the spring instead; the winter we could fish pretty much everyday and now the spring and summer has been the stormy time.”
Stormy weather creates conditions causing the fishermen to postpone fishing trips due to safety hazards or the conditions making it too difficult to fish.
When conditions are fair enough to venture out but wind is still high, the effectiveness of fishing nets is limited. High winds will drag the nets and catch debris such as branches which can destroy them.
If the debris does not destroy the nets, it will still cause issues due to the debris being visible to the fish. When the wind blows nets around that have dozens of objects tangled in them, it is easier for the fish to see and keep their distance from the boats.
If the fishermen do not go out every couple of days, the stock of fish is threatened.
On a regular weekday, Four Suns Fish and Chips makes 50 to 60 pounds of whitefish while on Friday and Saturday, they can make about 100 pounds of whitefish. The current supply will last until Friday unless another haul is brought in.
Fortunately, the restaurant has ways to keep business going without their staple entree.
Peterson’s Fish Market and Four Suns Fish and Chips will rely on their farm-raised salmon as a substitute.
The restaurant also serves breaded perch and cod from their food supplier, chicken strips and Vollwerth’s hot dogs. Customers opting for perch will keep the whitefish supply lasting longer.